[0:02] The views, information, and opinions
expressed during the following program
[0:06] are solely those of the individuals
involved and do not necessarily
[0:10] represent the views of Access
Communications, its representatives, or
[0:13] its employees.
[0:30] » All right. Thanks, everybody. Good
afternoon and welcome to what is a very
[0:35] special
Weyburn City Council meeting.
[0:39] I will note that Councillor Haig was
unable to make it today. This is a short
[0:44] notice meeting called quickly.
But as and I would say I'll just read
[0:49] this to be specific. As per Section 6.4
of the Council Procedures Bylaw, we're
[0:54] not able to add anything to the agenda
tonight. It is a special meeting that is
[0:58] called duly
to to deal with the PDAP program because
[1:04] as everybody knows we had a very
significant rain event the other day and
[1:09] we need to help folks out with that. So
we have one agenda item and for that I
[1:15] will turn the floor over to the city
manager.
[1:18] » Yeah, thanks, Your Worship. So the
Provincial Disaster Assistance Program,
[1:21] so PDAP, helps residents, small
businesses, agricultural operations,
[1:26] First Nations, non-profit organizations,
and communities recover from natural
[1:30] disasters including flooding, tornadoes,
plow winds, and other disasters caused
[1:35] by severe weather. PDAP may help cover
the costs for uninsurable essential
[1:40] losses, clean up repairs, and temporary
relocations.
[1:45] The provincial program administers
federal funds to help people after
[1:50] uninsurable damage from natural
disasters.
[1:53] In order to be eligible for assistance
from the Disaster Assistance Program, of
[1:57] local authority must apply in a way to
approval.
[2:03] So, on the morning of September 7th,
2026, the city Weyburn experienced a
[2:07] heavy rainfall event approximately 84 mm
as per Environment Canada.
[2:12] Um the city Weyburn is aware of that
some private owners have incurred um
[2:17] basement damages due to water and sewer.
As a result, the city has applied to the
[2:23] government of Saskatchewan as an
eligible assistance um under the PDAP
[2:27] program.
Uh there is no financial responsibility
[2:31] for the city to designate under the
program uh for private damages.
[2:35] In order to submit an application and
have a municipality designated as an
[2:39] eligible assist assistance area, the
province of Saskatchewan requires a
[2:43] resolution stating city council supports
the application.
[2:46] The application is then provided to the
Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency or
[2:50] SPSA for approval.
Um PDAP is not intended to compete with
[2:56] private insurers or provide full
compensation to those who incur
[3:00] substantial loss or damage to the
property. Assistance may be provided um
[3:05] to pre-disaster condition only.
If approved, the province of
[3:09] Saskatchewan would provide the city of
Weyburn with an information package
[3:13] including application forms. Uh the
application forms would be made
[3:17] available um to Weyburn residents
uh on the city Weyburn website and at
[3:21] city hall. Um residents would be given
information on how to apply through a
[3:26] press release, social media, and through
the city Weyburn's website.
[3:30] Um SPSA um recovery task team has also
indicated they will be hosting an event
[3:35] on September 22nd at the Credit Union
Spark Centre. Um we have reached out to
[3:39] them through administration and we're
just currently just finalizing event
[3:42] details.
Um for anyone looking for more
[3:46] information on the
um PDAP program,
[3:50] um you can visit the um Saskatchewan
Public Safety website uh, listed here in
[3:54] the report. And then uh, for me I am
recommending uh, that Saskatchewan City
[3:59] Council provide the Saskatchewan Public
Safety Agency with the required
[4:03] resolution for provincial uh, provincial
disaster assistance program application.
[4:08] » Right on. Thanks, city manager. So,
yeah, that is what we're here for today.
[4:10] We need to get this application
uh, submitted and underway and that
[4:14] needs to be done through a uh, motion of
council. So, if there's a motion, I
[4:18] would take that.
>> Your Worship, I'll make the motion that
[4:21] the City of Weyburn apply to the
Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency to be
[4:24] designated as an eligible area under the
Provincial Disaster Assistance Program,
[4:29] also known as PDAP, which provides
financial assistance for restoring
[4:32] essential services and property as a
result of a substantial damage caused by
[4:37] the rain events on September 7th, 2026.
>> Your Worship, I would second that
[4:41] motion.
>> Very good. All right, uh, I would open
[4:43] the floor first to council. Any
questions or commentary?
[4:46] Councillor Bedard.
>> Just a couple questions uh, for for So,
[4:50] assuming it passes now, what is the
timeline generally for this cuz I think
[4:53] the last time I think I took advantage
of it back in 2011, but it's that seems
[4:58] like a decade ago or more. So, I just
wanted to know what the timeline would
[5:02] be for residents.
>> Yeah, so what happens is is that uh, an
[5:05] application's already been provided to
um, the province. Uh, I actually
[5:09] provided that on Sun- or on Monday
during the the rain event. Uh, I've
[5:14] already been in contact with uh, SPSA.
Um, all they require right now is a
[5:18] resolution from council to provide
approval. Uh, once that's done, um,
[5:23] anything submitted for applications have
to one go through your insurer first.
[5:27] And then after that it goes through this
program through um, through PDAP. Um, so
[5:32] it's it's 6 months after the event
happens.
[5:35] Um, so um, anything um, that happens um,
for the work that you're doing, so if if
[5:41] the event with the event happening on
September 7th, applications would have
[5:44] to be in by I believe March the 8th of
2027 is the period. Um I have to get
[5:49] clarification cuz the last time we
applied for this, all work had to be
[5:52] done within 12 months. Um I just have to
get some clarification from the province
[5:57] about that if there's been any changes
to that program. They have done some
[6:00] significant changes to the program um
actually this last year. Um there is um
[6:06] maximums they're actually providing. Um
it used to be lower amounts for leasing.
[6:10] So, now it's $500,000 max for residents,
uh upwards of $3 million for small
[6:16] businesses,
um and then $3 million for nonprofits.
[6:19] So, there's actually some uh additional
compensation that the province actually
[6:24] improved this program after the the
wildfires of of 2025.
[6:28] Uh and then they made uh changes within
the last budget to increase what they're
[6:31] doing for this program that way.
>> Okay.
[6:35] Thanks for that. Other questions,
commentary from council?
[6:38] Council Jane.
>> Uh Mr. Warren,
[6:41] is there any precedents for anyone being
denied for this sort of application?
[6:45] » Uh you mean Miss Pally's being denied?
>> Yes.
[6:47] » Um I I know uh when we've applied in the
past there has not been any concerns
[6:52] with that at all. Um because of the
amount of water that came in a short
[6:55] period of time. So, I will give an
example uh that when we applied for the
[6:59] event that happened in June 21st and
22nd of 2022, we had 95 mm in a 2-day
[7:06] period. Um when we look at some data
that we're seeing right now from um the
[7:11] province and it's just put up on the
screen. Um we're showing 84 mm within a
[7:17] 4-hour period. So, um this is unofficial
cuz they have to actually check out this
[7:22] this larger number here, but um reported
at at 8:00 a.m. was 5.2 mm. Reported at
[7:29] at 10:00 from Environment Canada was
11.5
[7:32] mm of of precipitation. Um at 11:00 a.m.
57 mm, and then at uh noon 9.1. So,
[7:40] um in my conversation, that's
substantial rain, Um the province was
[7:44] extremely happy that we actually
contacted them as quick as we did.
[7:49] And then for us to have a special
meeting to get this done so we can start
[7:52] getting these reports out.
So, I do not see the province denying
[7:55] that application because of the
substantial amount of water that was
[7:58] hit. Not just in this area, but other
municipalities in the area as well
[8:02] during that significant rain event.
>> Great.
[8:08] Anybody else?
>> I will just add to that. I've had a few
[8:12] conversations with our MLA,
Minister Wiebe, who is Minister of
[8:16] Police and Corrections and Public
Safety. And he's aware of the
[8:19] application already and
is fully supporting it and will be there
[8:23] for us as well. So.
That's Yeah, Counselor Morrison.
[8:28] » Sorry, and um I know the Director of
Engineering isn't here at this point. Um
[8:32] Manager Warren, but um are they
currently looking at some of the trouble
[8:35] areas in town that have maybe repeatedly
seen additional damage because of
[8:41] rainstorms over the past decade, even
since 2011 as well?
[8:45] » Yeah, so the crews were actually out
identifying things on Monday into even
[8:49] even today of of the trouble areas
and doing some some major work to see
[8:54] where they can find out maybe some
trouble areas that maybe happened or do
[8:58] some future work and to look into those
as well.
[9:01] So, what we encourage anyone if if they
did have anything that happened in their
[9:05] neighborhood to reach out to
public works and identify that. We've
[9:10] actually had some neighborhoods that
didn't identify right away to them
[9:14] that I have actually received some phone
calls today that I've now identified for
[9:17] them to check
to see if they can go into you know,
[9:20] sanitary or
into the into any area right now and
[9:25] just have some looks and see what's
happening those areas.
[9:30] Yeah, and then one thing I will add is
that included in the 2000
[9:34] 26 request for budget we're going to
some storm water modeling as well.
[9:38] That's some things that we've actually
been working on
[9:41] for some certain areas in the city that
way. So, that's some stuff that our
[9:45] engineering department's currently been
working on and and trying to get towards
[9:49] budget this year as well.
>> Good. Thanks.
[9:53] If that's that,
[9:57] I'll call the question then. All in
favor?
[9:59] That is carried. Thank you. So, we do
have some members of the public in the
[10:02] gallery.
We you're welcome to ask questions, but
[10:06] the questions can only be about
the PDAP application because that's the
[10:10] one agenda item that is that is on here.
So, when we have
[10:14] inquiries and announcements, it's called
and it's not actually on the agenda, but
[10:17] I understand this is an incredibly
stressful time. So, I would welcome you
[10:21] if you would like, and don't feel like
you have to either, but if you have
[10:24] questions about the process, to the
extent that we're able, we'll try to
[10:28] answer them.
[10:33] Okay.
>> I have a question.
[10:35] » Yep. If you you have to go to the Sorry,
Lisa. You have to go to the mic, say who
[10:38] you are, bit of a process.
And pop it on if you Yep. It should turn
[10:43] red when you turn it on. There you go.
Got it.
[10:45] » Um so, does the municipality itself um
uh
[10:50] have anything uh can they apply for PDAP
themselves for infrastructure, or is it
[10:56] just homeowners themselves that qualify?
>> yeah, very good question, Lisa. So, they
[11:01] can only apply for our infrastructure.
So, we can't apply for
[11:05] um water wastewater infrastructure. It
can only be for our facility. So, if we
[11:08] had damage to um say we actually had
water in at the police station, we can
[11:12] apply for that. We can't apply for water
wastewater infrastructure. There's other
[11:16] grant programs you can look in for that.
Um you can apply for anything that's a a
[11:21] current structure.
So, we've applied in the past for um you
[11:24] know, water damage to say like the arena
during a flood or during those kind of
[11:29] things, but you can't apply for
infrastructure. It has to be like a
[11:33] building.
That way. That makes sense that way.
[11:37] Makes sense?
Okay.
[11:40] Okay.
[11:42] Kind of There's nobody else and I'll
move on. I guess that is it.
[11:46] So, that's it. That's the whole meeting.
Not very
[11:50] Not very Not very Did you want to come
up, sir? Nope. Oh, okay.
[11:54] All right. So, then with that, I think
that's it. We'll adjourn the meeting.
[12:00] Thank you.
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