Minister Jim Reiter tours flooded Sask. communities of Arborfield and Carrot River
Reiter says province has role to play in aftermath of floods
Saskatchewan's Emergency Management Minister Jim Reiter said it was sad to see the damage caused by floods during a tour of Arborfield and Carrot River on Friday.
Reiter and Carrot River MLA Fred Bradshaw are attending meetings with the mayor and deputy reeve of Arborfield, before travelling to Carrot River to do the same.
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Reiter said the visit was to see the damage first-hand and hear the concerns and expectations of residents affected by the floods.
"I gotta tell ya, it was sad to see some of the damage that was done but, you know, the community spirit that they showed here sort of last minute, all the sandbagging that was done, and the track-hole work," he said.
"It mitigated what would have been far more damage than they have experienced."
A joint effort
He said the province had a role to play in supporting the local emergency response, which had been stretched thin by the extent of the flooding.
Arborfield Mayor Alvin Alyea said the community had been well-supported by both the province and volunteers, who he said had travelled from far and wide to help cleanup.
"This is the kind of thing that we get from small communities and I want to thank them very, very much,"
He said there was some confusion over insurance and claims for disaster assistance but expected those would be cleared up at a "flood recovery centre" being set up by the province in Arborfield.
Onsite support
The minister also announced on Thursday that a flood recovery centre would be set up in Arborfield from July 17-19.
The centre will offer advice for residents of the Rural Municipality of Moose Range, the Town and RM of Arborfield and the Town of Carrot River.
Workers from the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program will be stationed at the centre to help affected resident make claims, and a building official will be available to answer questions about structural safety and building concerns.
The centre will be located at the Arborfield Community Hall, with the following opening hours:
- Sunday, July 17: 4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
- Monday, July 18: 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.
- Tuesday, July 19: 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.