January 10, 2012
Ms. Cheryl Smith, President
Association of Lake Manitoba Stakeholders (ALMS)
Dear Ms. Smith,
I would like to thank you and the other members of the ALMS executive for meeting with me and other senior government officials on November 14, 2011. I wanted to take this opportunity to provide some follow-up information on the items discussed at the meeting.
Regarding lake levels and longer term water management framework around Lake Manitoba, I would like to thank you for the constructive suggestions put forward by ALMS. As you may be aware, the province has committed to assessing alternatives to enhance the capacity of the Assiniboine River and Lake Manitoba flood-control systems. This and other review processes coming out of the 2011 flood will help to inform longer term improvements to flood management around Lake Manitoba and elsewhere around the province. The province will keep ALMS informed as these processes move forward and ensure there is an opportunity for local stakeholder input.
On the subject of Individual Flood Proofing Initiative (IFPI) projects, the province recognizes that there has been an issue in the timely identification of benchmarks for water levels to be used in moving or raising homes or cottages. This is directly related to the availability of qualified surveyors during this busy period across the province. Manitoba Water Stewardship is actively looking at ways to improve capacity in this regard through exploration of the potential for use of private sector and other public resources. In addition, while we recognize that some of your members take issue with the deductible in place for the IFPI program, as was discussed in our meeting, this is a province-wide program designed to add the value of permanent flood protection to a property. If permanent protection is put in place, the copayment for the special Lake Manitoba Financial Assistance program addressing damages from this year’s flood is waived. It is also important to note that the deductible paid by Lake Manitoba permanent or seasonal residents for the IFPI program is less than the 14% paid by those elsewhere in the province since the first $20,000 is deductible-free around Lake Manitoba.
With respect to the questions from ALMS on Canada Revenue Agency implications for program reimbursement and Temporary Accommodations Program (TAP) income, please see the attached information. Individuals are still advised to seek independent advice on their specific situation when filing their tax returns as these are only general guidelines.
Finally, I would like to thank your organization for the comments and discussion on the subjects of 2012 reassessments and municipal tax bases, the potential for use of snow windrows, and financial assistance programs timelines and processes. Your insights are very valuable and will be taken into account as we move forward.
Sincerely,
Original signed by
Stan Struthers
