The provincial government's recent offer to buy out residents' flood-impacted homes and property in High River and other communities is not precedent-setting as the same thing was done in Red Deer County after the devastating 2005 floods.
But it isn't a frequent occurrence either, say provincial officials.
The provincial government is providing homeowners in southern Alberta communities that have been impacted by recent flooding the option to permanently relocate their families and have the government buy their properties. Only primary residences are eligible.
The homeowners are eligible for compensation valued at 100 per cent of their last municipal property tax assessed value, according to Municipal Affairs.
There are approximately 250 homes, primarily in six communities, that may qualify for relocation compensation.
“Relocating homes out of floodways is a better long-term solution for all of us,” said Municipal Affairs Minister Doug Griffiths in making the relocation assistance announcement.
“We understand that the decision to relocate your family away from a community where you have put down roots is a difficult one — and we will be here to support you and provide you with the information to make the best decision for your family.”
In the years after the 2005 floods, the provincial government bought three private properties near the Garrington Bridge along the Red Deer River that were at risk of flooding for a total of $1.93 million.
“It was because they were at risk due to the movement of the river,” said Cameron Traynor, communications director for Municipal Affairs.
“The purchase prices would have been negotiated with the property owners and the assessed property value would have been part of that negotiation process.”
The properties were purchased in 2009 and 2010 and were transferred over to the Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD) department, which paid $160,000 to reclaim the three properties. The properties were then cleaned and now sit as vacant Crown land.
“That's the reclamation required and the estimated cost of reclamation,” explained Neal Watson with the communications department for ESRD. “So this is to haul away debris, things like that, to ensure that somebody who ended up on that land didn't get hurt or something like that.”
He did say it is not extremely common for the provincial government to purchase properties in these types of situations.
The 43.40 acres at NW 25-34-4-W5 was purchased on Feb. 9, 2009 and transferred to ESRD on Feb. 25, 2009. The 137.40 acres at NE 26-34-4-W5 was purchased on Oct. 15, 2010 and was transferred to ESRD on Nov. 4, 2010. The third property, 157.30 acres at SW 36-34-4-W5 was purchased on Aug. 20, 2010 and transferred to ESRD on Oct. 12, 2010.
The reclamation on those lands included but was not limited to the removal of all buildings, miscellaneous items, garbage, underground infrastructure (wells, septic fields and tanks, water lines), according to reclamation documents.
It also says that all lands were to be levelled and seeded afterwards.
If flood-impacted residents accept the government's latest relocation compensation, officials say government will own the property and will examine the next steps that need to be taken, including potential demolition of the home, remediation of the land or sale of the building for relocation to another property.
The relocation assistance plan states that the government will be responsible for all remediation and demolition of properties purchased and that no further building will be approved on the sites.
Should homeowners wish to stay in their homes, government officials say they will still qualify for support from the Disaster Recovery Program to repair or rebuild.
This will be a one-time payment and homeowners who choose not to relocate will be ineligible for funding in the event of a future flood, according to the relocation plan.
