Ontario offering flood damage compensation for these central communities

Intense flooding is shown near Davey Drive in Orillia, Ont., on April 16, 2026. (Connor Earl Productions)

Whether it was rainwater or snowmelt, the province says you might be up for compensation for flooding damages caused to your property this spring.

Ontario is encouraging residents from Orillia, Ramara and Kawartha Lakes to apply to the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program.

Be it a residence, farm, small business or non-profit organization, you may qualify if the damages have not already been covered by an insurance provider.

The funding is however only available for residents of specific communities, places the province calls “activation areas,” that were affected by flooding that occurred in April of 2026.

Activation areas in central Ontario include Burnt River in Kawartha Lakes, Cedar Island in Orillia and Lake St. John in Ramara.

For more information on how to apply, if you qualify and how much you may receive, visit the province’s website.

The deadline to apply for compensation for April 2026 flood damages is Nov. 16, 2026.