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[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.

[12:02] » If you'd like to share your feedback on the program you just watched, contact us

[12:06] today.

Weyburn City Council - September 9, 2026 (Special Meeting - PDAP)

Transcript