Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements

Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) is a program of the Government of Canada that provides financial assistance to provincial and territorial governments following large-scale natural disasters.

Provinces can apply to the program for assistance when eligible costs exceed one dollar per capita,^[1] at which point the federal government will share 50% of the cost. If the costs exceed $3 per capita this rises to 75%, and when costs reach $5 per capita, the federal government is required to pay 90 per cent of the costs.^[2][3]

Since its inception in 1970, a 2011–12 report stated that the program had paid out $2 billion in post-disaster assistance.^[4] Following the 2013 Alberta floods, $2 billion was earmarked for the province and the government sought a $689-million increase in funding for the program from parliament.^[5]

The program has come under criticism for favouring some provinces over others, and for not including public health emergencies in its remit.^[6]

DFAA Payments 2007 to 2011^[4]

Province/Territory	$ millions
British Columbia	72
Alberta	68
Northwest Territories	60
Yukon	32
Nunavut	30
Saskatchewan	17
Manitoba	12
Ontario	3
Quebec	2
New Brunswick	1
Nova Scotia	1
Prince Edward Island	0
Newfoundland and Labrador	0
TOTAL	298

Events that have received funding include 1996 Saguenay Flood, 1997 Red River flood, 2010 Hurricane Igor in Newfoundland and the 2011 Assiniboine River Flood.