Grimsby is proposing a new program that could reimburse homeowners up to $6,500 for flood protection work, after severe storms hit the town this summer.
If approved by Town Council, the Basement Flood Protection Program would cover 90% of eligible costs, with individual rebates of up to $1,500 for backwater valve installation and up to $5,000 for foundation drain disconnection work, according to a town announcement.
The program is proposed to begin in January 2027, subject to funding through the 2027 budget process. The town says foundation drains and downspouts must be disconnected from the sanitary sewer system first to qualify for any reimbursements, including the backwater valve rebate.
Council will also consider allowing retroactive reimbursement for qualifying work completed after July 1, 2026, but that has not been formally approved and cannot be guaranteed, the town says.
Properties that experienced basement flooding in 2026 would get priority for the program, with other eligible properties considered only if funding remains.
The rebate plan follows several intense rainfall events in July and August that brought 80 to 110 millimetres of rain in 90 minutes on July 21 and 102.6 mm on August 2, causing widespread basement flooding. In response, council passed a resolution in August directing staff to investigate rebate programs and a backwater valve program.
