County proposes expanded basement flood assistance

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

County of Brant staff are proposing a major expansion to the municipality’s basement flood prevention assistance program, broadening the types of upgrades eligible for financial support as recurring flooding concerns continue to surface in parts of the community.

The proposed changes were presented to the county’s policy development committee last week with no discussion from councillors. The recommendations must still be ratified by county council before taking effect. 

Under the proposed update, homeowners could receive financial assistance for disconnecting foundation drains and downspouts from storm sewer systems, installing backwater valves on stormwater service connections, and adding sump pits and pumps with battery backup systems that discharge to ground surface. 

County staff are also recommending $30,000 be allocated in 2026 for the revised program through the capital stormwater facility work budget, with future funding requests included in annual capital budget deliberations. 

The proposed revisions follow a Residential Stormwater Assessment Pilot conducted in 2024 and 2025, which investigated repeated basement flooding complaints at five properties in Paris and seven properties in St. George. 

According to the report prepared by director of environmental services Andrea Bazzard, the pilot identified several common contributors to flooding, including foundation drains connected to storm sewers, unsealed basement floor openings allowing groundwater intrusion, unknown floor drain connections, lack of sump pumps and reverse-sloped driveways without backwater valve protection. 

The investigations resulted in site-specific recommendations for homeowners, but staff noted many residents expressed concern about the cost of completing the upgrades. 

In response, county staff reviewed basement flooding assistance programs offered in 10 nearby municipalities to help shape the proposed update. 

The municipal comparison found several neighbouring municipalities, including Oxford County, Norfolk County, Haldimand County and the Region of Waterloo, currently do not offer basement flooding assistance programs.  Others provide significantly larger funding amounts than what is being proposed in Brant. London offers up to $7,000 per property covering 90 per cent of eligible costs, while Halton Region provides up to $6,500 with full cost coverage. 

The County of Brant proposal would provide homeowners with a lifetime maximum of $5,000 per property. Eligible work would be funded at 50 per cent of costs up to set limits, including up to $500 for downspout disconnections, up to $3,000 for backwater valve installations, up to $5,000 for sump pit and pump systems, and up to $2,000 for driveway entrance improvements and private catch basin backwater valve installations. 

To qualify, applicants would need to own a residential dwelling within the county, provide proof of a basement flooding insurance claim or other acceptable documentation, have no outstanding property taxes, and live in a home built before Jan. 1, 2012 that is connected to the county stormwater system. Homes still under new construction warranty would not qualify. 

The report states the revised program would help homeowners avoid costly damage, reduce insurance claims and improve community resilience as severe weather and climate-related flooding events become more common.