Yukon Disaster Financial Assistance Program

Learn more about the Yukon Disaster Financial Assistance program. 

Purposes

The Disaster Financial Assistance program in the Yukon helps people recover from natural disasters. It may help cover the cost of uninsurable losses to property.

The program provides financial assistance to the following:

• Individuals, to provide the necessities of life and help repair damaged homes.
• Small businesses and farms, to re-establish or maintain their viability after a natural disaster.

Eligible events

Yukon government will determine whether to activate a Yukon Disaster Financial Assistance program after a disaster. Not all disaster events will be eligible. Generally, eligible events will have damages that are widespread, affect a large area or number of residents, and are mostly uninsurable.

In the past, the Klondike floods in 2023, were eligible for disaster recovery funding.

General eligibility criteria and parameters for the Yukon Disaster Financial Assistance program are outlined below and are consistent with the federal Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements guidelines.

Eligible applicants

The program has funding streams for the following categories of eligible applicants who experienced property damage because of eligible natural disaster events.

1. Homeowners and renters

Homeowners whose principal residence or residential possessions were damaged, and renters whose residential possessions were damaged.

2. Small businesses

• Small businesses with yearly gross revenues as reported for income taxes of at least $10,000, but less than $2 million, and employing not more than the equivalent of 20 full-time employees.
• The business must be an owner-operated enterprise where the individual owner-operator is acting as a day-to-day manager and owning at least 50% of the business. This includes self-employed fishers, trappers, loggers, and other natural resource harvesters are included.

3. Farmers and agricultural producers

• Farmers and agricultural producers must have at least $10,000 in farming or business revenues, but less than $2 million.
• This revenue must be reported to the Canada Revenue Agency in the previous tax year or demonstrated through production or sale of agricultural products.

Financial assistance

Yukoners may receive financial assistance for eligible damage costs to the following:

• principal residences;
• personal possessions;
• farms; or
• small businesses.

This is up to a maximum of $250,000 for homeowners or the property's assessment value, whichever is less. It includes coverage for the following:

• eligible repairs;
• possessions; and
• temporary accommodation.

Farmers and small business owners may receive up to $500,000 for eligible damage costs.

Eligible damage costs are costs that align with the federal Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements. 

Educate yourself on what your insurance policy covers. This is one of the most important ways to help your family, home or business recover from a disaster event. Contact your provider to discuss your needs and coverage.

How to apply

If the Government of Yukon declares a disaster eligible, the Disaster Financial Assistance  program may be activated. Eligible disasters will be listed here.

Information about how to apply will be shared after the program has been activated for a particular disaster.