PDAP Regulations Increasing Assistance and Expanding Eligibility for Claimants

CANADA, July 17 - Released on July 16, 2026

Today, the Government of Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) announced updates to the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) regulations to increase assistance to those affected by disaster and provide communities support for mitigation and resiliency. These changes will expand eligibility for individuals, small businesses and other eligible claimants. 

The regulatory changes improve municipal and community recovery supports and mitigation incentives, aligning the program more closely with updated federal Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements, resulting in a stronger and more equitable program.

The regulations apply retroactively to April 1, 2026, allowing recent claimants, including those affected by the May 2026 and more recent flooding, to be assessed under the framework. 

"Our government is here to help and support our communities in the face of disasters," Community Safety Minister and Minister Responsible for the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency Michael Weger said. "The recovery process after an incident can be challenging and long. The changes announced today will lessen some of that burden and improve resiliency for communities recovering from disasters."

The regulatory changes include:

• Increasing the maximum assistance for individuals from $240,000 to $500,000. 
• Increasing the maximum assistance for small businesses from $500,000 to $3 million. 
• Compensation is now based on standard replacement value, not depreciated value. 
• A new municipal incentive, allowing local authorities to lower their deductible by meeting emergency management and preparedness criteria.
• A new maximum deductible introduced for larger municipalities, tied to federal thresholds, making costs more predictable and manageable.
• Additional assistance up to 25% of a claim's value available for projects that reduce future disaster risk, subject to program rules and funding.

"These improvements are an important step toward making sure RMs and their residents can count on more responsive, predictable assistance when they need it most," SARM President Bill Huber said. "SARM has been hearing from councils across the province about the challenges they are facing after this year's flooding, and we appreciate the Province's efforts to improve the program in ways that will better support rural Saskatchewan."

PDAP is an emergency management recovery program that helps residents, small businesses, agricultural operations, First Nations, non-profit organizations and communities recover from natural disasters. The program reimburses the cost of uninsurable essential losses, cleanup, repairs and temporary relocation. 

The intent of the program is to provide claimants with essential needs in extraordinary circumstances. It is not designed to replace insurance, compensate a claimant for minor losses or to "fully" restore a claimant to a pre-disaster state.

Individuals who were impacted by the recent flooding need to work with their community leadership to access the forms necessary to make a claim. The Government of Saskatchewan and the SPSA have launched an online information portal to help Saskatchewan residents, municipalities, businesses and agricultural producers access timely information and supports related to spring flooding and flooding caused by heavy rains. Developed by the SPSA's Recovery Task Team, the portal is available on the saskatchewan.ca website. View the portal at: Flooding Support | Emergency | Government of Saskatchewan.

-30-