Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs Bill Mauro toured some of the flooded homes in Windsor on Tuesday.
He stopped to look at some of the damage on Kildare Road, but did not talk to residents.
The City of Windsor reports as of Tuesday afternoon, it had received 6,116 reports of basement flooding both online and over the telephone.
More than 200 millimetres of rain fell on Windsor and the surrounding areas over a 24-hour period on Aug. 29, washing out major streets and letting water into basements across the city.
Mauro’s ministry approved an application to allow Windsor-Essex residents to be able to access funding from Ontario's Disaster Recovery Assistance program.
“The program is intended for where insurance is not available, and where it’s not available is for overland flooding,” says Mauro.
But under the program, if water came into your home through the sewer, you are not eligible.
Mauro defended that decision.
“There is no jurisdiction, in Canada, that offers disaster relief for sewage backup,” claims Mauro.
But there is one exception. Mauro says Ontario will offer funding if you are a low income resident and had water enter your home from a sewer.
City officials tell CTV Windsor progress is being made in the collection of water soaked items from residences, but there are delays in the collection of both regular garbage and flood material.
Residents are being asked to follow regular collection guidelines including containers and weight.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens reminded residents Tuesday that recycling collection has been suspended again this week to allow for garbage and flood materials collection. But residents can drop off recycling at the central depot.
Yard waste collection is cancelled for the month of September.
Dilkens estimates the cost to clean-up the flood debris is $500,000. He also stated during Tuesday's ward 1 public meeting that the damage from the flood is expected to reach $175-million.
Lakeshore Mayor and Essex County Warden Tom Bain tells CTV Windsor the town of Lakeshore will have all of their debris picked up by the end of Tuesday. The town had a reported 600 homes flooded.
Amherstburg is working on its own subsidy program following flooding concerns from some residents.
The town is setting aside about $400,000 to cover things like downspout disconnects, backflow valve installations and running a camera to look at sewer lines coming from homes.
Details are expected to be released at the next council meeting on Sept. 25.
