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OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 03/19/13 -- Today, the Honourable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety, and the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health and Regional Minister for the North, announced a payment of $3,140,829 to the Northwest Territories through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) for damages caused by extensive flooding in 2006.

"I am pleased that we will be able to provide support to the Northwest Territories for disaster response and recovery expenses associated with the flooding," said Minister Toews. "Our government is dedicated to working collaboratively with the provinces and territories to support communities when natural disasters strike."

"Many residents of the Northwest Territories were directly affected by the flooding in the spring of 2006," said the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Heath and Regional Minister for Canada's North. "Our Government is committed to providing important support to provinces and territories when a serious event overwhelms available resources."

As a result of the spring break up of the Mackenzie River, the community of Aklavik experienced flooding from May 26 to June 1, 2006, forcing the evacuation of 300 people from Aklavik to Inuvik, and causing damage to both private and public property.

The Government of Canada works closely with the provinces and territories to assist Canadians when large natural disasters strike. Through the DFAA, the government supports provinces and territories by cost sharing their eligible disaster and recovery expenses which exceed what they might reasonably be expected to bear on their own.

Since the inception of the DFAA in 1970, the Government of Canada has provided more than $2.2 billion to the provinces and territories in disaster financial assistance.

All Canadians have a role in building resilient communities to keep hazards from becoming disasters and to recover from those disasters more quickly.

For more information, please visit the website www.publicsafety.gc.ca.



Contacts:
Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657

Julie Carmichael
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Public Safety
613-991-2924