Hamilton offers up to $2,000 to residents flooded in the July and August rainstorms

What the City is offering

The City of Hamilton has set up a one-time compassionate grant, worth up to $2,000, for eligible homeowners and tenants whose homes were flooded in any of four 2026 rainstorms: July 21, July 28, August 2 and August 7. The grant is meant for flood-related costs that insurance did not cover.

The amount paid is the lowest of $2,000, the applicant's insurance deductible, or their actual eligible costs. The City's example: someone with $1,200 in eligible expenses may receive up to $1,200, while someone with $4,000 in eligible expenses and a $2,500 deductible may receive up to $2,000.

What it can cover

• Cleaning up and repairing flood damage to return a home to its pre-flooding condition, including flooring or walls
• Debris removal needed for safety or access
• Essential household items such as refrigerators, freezers, furnaces, stoves, washers and dryers, and clothing
• Tools or other items needed for the applicant's livelihood
• Emergency expenses, including evacuation, food and shelter, and perishable food
• The applicant's insurance deductible

Tenants can claim for household contents; structural repairs are the owner's responsibility. The grant does not cover non-essential furniture such as stereos, landscaping, fencing, driveways or retaining walls, recreational vehicles, antiques and collections, lost wages or rental income, personal injury, private roads or bridges, or erosion.

How to apply

The grant is administered for the City by Sedgwick Canada Inc., 21 King Street East, Suite 400, which supplies application forms and can be reached at 905-285-8770. Applicants need proof of ownership or tenancy, proof of flood losses, insurance information, receipts and invoices, and photographs.

• Only one application can be submitted for each residential property, although an owner and a tenant of a rented property may both apply where each has eligible expenses.
• Applicants must sign a Full and Final Release relating to the grant before funds are paid.
• Residents currently in litigation with the City are not eligible.
• If an applicant later receives compensation for the same loss through a claim settlement, the grant amount will be deducted.

The City lists the deadlines as November 21, November 28, December 2 and December 7, 2026, matched to the four storms. It also states the rule as 120 calendar days from the applicable storm; counted strictly, 120 days falls a few days earlier than each listed date, so applicants should confirm their deadline with the administrator.