City of Toronto Basement Flooding Protection Program and Subsidy
Basements can flood for many reasons
While the City of Toronto is working to improve its complex system of underground pipes, sewers and catchbasins, these improvements alone cannot completely protect a home from basement flooding. During heavy rains, the sewers can become overloaded. It is important that homeowners take steps to help protect their home from basement flooding.
Basement Flooding Prevention Videos
Watch the City’s series of videos to learn more about basement flooding prevention.
Part 1: how your plumbing system works, sewer cleanouts, overland flooding, cleaning blocked or plugged eavestroughs and disconnecting downspouts.
Part 2: weeping tiles, sump pumps, sewer back-ups and backwater valves and the financial subsidies the City provides when you install flood prevention devices.
Basement Flooding Protection Program Map
During heavy rain, the sewers can become overloaded. This increases pressure on the sewer systems and overland drainage routes, such as roads, local rivers and streams, which can lead to basement flooding.
The City’s Basement Flooding Protection Program is a multi-year program that is helping to reduce the risk of flooding by making improvements to the sewer system and overland drainage routes. Projects are taking place in basement flooding study areas across the city.
Enter your address in the interactive map to see what projects are taking place near you.
Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program
It is important that homeowners take appropriate action to reduce the risk of basement flooding.
The City of Toronto offers owners of single-family, duplex, and triplex residential homes a subsidy of up to $3,400 per property to install flood protection devices. Owners can apply online for this subsidy.
Eligible work includes:
- installation of a backwater valve;
- installation of a sump pump;
- severance and capping of a home’s storm sewer or external weeping tile connection.
Disconnecting the downspouts from the property’s eavestrough system is not eligible for a subsidy.
Before proceeding to the online application, please review all eligibility details and subsidy conditions so that you can confirm that your application meets the program criteria.