After an Emergency

• BC College of Pharmacists has an Emergency Fill Policy for residents who need emergency refills of prescription medication. You can go to your regular Pharmacist (if possible) and explain your situation (i.e. cannot access medication due to fire). The pharmacist should provide you with an emergency supply of medication.
• Additional costs not covered under Medicare needs to be worked out on an individual basis.

RCMP – Call the non-emergency number 604-892-6100

Canada Post | 1-800-267-1177

• Home Owner Insurance

• Your plan may have coverage for Alternative Living Expenses. Please contact your insurance broker to determine what may be covered. Ensure that you are made aware of the maximum value for this coverage so that you do not exceed what is covered
• Individual Content Insurance
• If you have individual content insurance that can cover your damage costs, you will need to contact your insurance agent immediately to arrange for payment on purchases you are making. Be sure to keep all receipts. If your home is unfit to live in, you will want to confirm your insurance coverage for additional living expenses.
• Because this was an evacuation where you were denied access to your home, you should also ask your agent whether you have prohibited access coverage.
• Insurance Bureau of Canada - Assistance in resolving insurance related concerns is available by calling the Insurance Bureau of Canada Consumer Information Line at 604-684-3635 ext. 222, or toll free at 1-844-227-5422. ibc.ca

Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) is a provincial program to help individuals recover from uninsurable disasters. DFA is administered by Emergency Management BC, part of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. Not all emergencies are eligible; eligibility is determined by the Minister. 

DFA can compensate individuals for 80% of eligible claims, after the first $1,000 to a maximum claim of $300,000. DFA is available for essential items only. It provides or reinstates the necessities of life, including help to repair and restore damaged homes and small businesses.

Disaster Financial Assistance Eligibility

Homeowner

• Must be for the residence that is occupied by the individual as their home, where the majority of their personal effects are located, and the residence for which they received the provincial Home Owner Grant or were entitled to receive this grant.

Residential Tenant

• Must be the residence that is occupied by the individual as their home and where the majority of their personal effects are located.

Small Business Owner

• Must be the owner of a business that is managed by the applicant on a day-to-day basis, is the owner’s major source of income, has gross sales of less than $1 million per year, and employs less than 50 people at any one time.

Farmer

• Must be the owner of a farm operation that is identified by the BC Assessment Authority as an agricultural operation, is owned and operated by a person whose full-time employment is as a farmer and is the means by which the applicant derives the majority of their income.

Charitable Organization

• Must be a not-for-profit charitable organization that provides a benefit or service to the community at large, has been in existence for at least 12 months, and is registered under the Society Act.

DFA is only available for uninsurable losses. All applicants should first check with their insurance agent to determine if their current insurance policy provides coverage for the resulting damage. As part of the DFA qualification process, your insurer will be asked to provide a letter indicating that you could not have purchased insurance to cover these disaster-related losses. 

How Do I Apply for Disaster Financial Assistance?

Individuals must apply to the Province of B.C. for Disaster Financial Assistance.  The forms are available on the Province of B.C.'s website. If you would like printed copies of the forms, or need assistance submitting the application forms, please contact the District of Squamish Emergency Program Office at 604-815-5060 or [email protected] to arrange assistance.

For all questions related to the Disaster Financial Assistance program, email [email protected] or telephone: 1-888-257-4777 (toll-free).

For more information, please see the provincial Disaster Financial Assistance website at http://www.gov.bc.ca/disasterfinancialassistance.

BC Housing - long term housing options for displaced residents – www.bchousing.org  604-433-2218 and access to the following housing services

• Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) - Helps make rents affordable for BC seniors with low to moderate incomes. SAFER provides monthly cash payments to subsidize rents for eligible BC residents who are age 60 or over and who pay rent for their homes. The links below provide more information on SAFER.

Eligibility Requirements:

• You are age 60 or older
• You pay more than 30% of your gross (before tax) monthly household income towards the rent for your home, including the cost of pad rental for a manufactured home (trailer) that your own and occupy.
• Meet one of the following Citizenship requirements: Canadian citizen(s); or authorized to take up permanent residence in Canada; or Convention refugee(s).
• You and your spouse (with whom you are living) have lived in British Columbia for the full 12 months immediately preceding your application; and

If you are eligible, SAFER may subsidize part of the rent that is over 30% of your income. The subsidy is calculated to give the most assistance to people with the least income. Call 604-433-2218 for further information and press 1.

• Rental Assistance Program – Provides eligible low-income, working families with cash assistance to help with monthly rent payments.  Call 604-433-2218 and press 3.
• Housing Registry - The Housing Registry Program provides subsidized housing for frail seniors, people at risk of homelessness, people with disabilities, and low-income families, including women and children fleeing abuse. Applicants must be resident of British Columbia. Call 604-433-2218 and press 2.

Homeowner Protection Office – Public Registry of Licensed Residential Builders and Building Envelope Renovators, New License and Owner Builder Authorization applications and the Licensed Builder Portal. 
Call: 604-646-7050 Toll Free in Canada: 1-800-407-7757 [email protected]     
Suite 650 – 4789 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC, V5H 0A3

Co-Op Housing Federation

• chf.bc.ca  604-879-5111

• Sea to Sky Community Services
• RCMP Victim Services - Contact through RCMP at 604 892-6153

The Hotspot Community Resource Centre – Helps people learn about and understand the systems and services available in Canada. Translation services (English/Punjabi).

604-815-4142
[email protected]
seatoskycommunity.org

The Salvation Army – Provides emergency service to individuals and families in distress including assistance with food clothing and furnishing.

North Vancouver Centre
105 12th Street West, North Vancouver, BC V7M 1N2
604-988-7225
salvationarmy.ca

Canadian Red Cross
Burnaby Branch

604-709-6600 Fax: 604-709-6675
3400 Lake City Way, Burnaby, BC, V5A 4Y2
www.redcross.ca

1-866-866-0800

1360 Pemberton Avenue, Squamish BC V8B 0A7 

Provides temporary financial assistance to unemployed Canadians who have lost their job through no fault of their own, while they look for work or upgrade their skills.

Toll free: 1-800-206-7218 www.servicecanada.gc.ca

1440 Winnipeg Street

Squamish, British Columbia
Monday – Friday 8:30 – 4 p.m.

General Inquiries 1-800-622-6232 which also covers Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS), Social Insurance Number (SIN).

ICBC – Report a claim: 604-520-8222 open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or visit www.icbc.com to report a claim online.