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Eligibility and Assessment Details

Through the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP), the provincial government may provide assistance to farmers who incur extraordinary costs as a result of an unforeseen natural disaster.  Eligible costs generally include emergency living expenses, and cleanup costs.

ODRAP is not intended to reimburse claimants for the cost of purchasing equipment such as chainsaws, generators and pumps used during the disaster period.  Payment for equipment must be for the residual cost, which is the cost of the use of the equipment during the disaster.  The residual cost is equivalent to the rental rate for the number of days the equipment is used. 

Eligible Farms

• Owner/operators of full-time and part-time farm operations (part-time farmers are those who derived less than 50% of income from farming)
• Owner/operators of farm operations that have a valid Farm Business Registration number, declared farm income on the previous year’s income tax return or can provide demonstration of recent farm income
• Tenant farmers for their own operating equipment and costs for which they are responsible under their lease
• Start-up farms with declared expenses
• If a case is unclear, refer to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF)

Eligible Costs

• Livestock that could not be insured
• Crops already harvested and in storage
• Crops not covered by crop insurance
• Clean-up of property for safety reasons
• Restoring farmland to workable condition
• Fences on working farms where livestock are kept
• Damage to building structure, movables, working/operating farm equipment and inventory as a result of the disaster
• Transportation/evacuation costs to evacuate livestock, farm chattels and inventory
• Alternative accommodation costs for livestock

Eligible costs during the disaster period include:

• Costs due to loss of power/heat or damage to farm or production livestock that could not be insured
• Costs due to damages caused by farmer to property while attempting to mitigate further loss
• Any damage caused by the secondary effects of a flood
• Evacuation and emergency measures used during the disaster
• Damage caused by emergency work crews
• Damage caused by flooding and mould due to flooding or moisture
• Orchard trees

Eligible costs during the post-disaster period include:

• Damage to building structure, movables, operating farm equipment and inventory as a result of loss of power/heat
• Damage to building structures, movables, operating farm equipment and inventory from flooding - includes damage to structures (floors and walls, plumbing, heating and electrical)