About the DFAA
The Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program provides financial assistance to provincial and territorial governments for response and recovery costs from large-scale disasters caused by natural hazards.
The DFAA program does not provide funding directly to Canadians impacted by disasters; this assistance is delivered by provinces and territories. The federal program helps provinces and territories cover the costs associated with disaster recovery.
The DFAA Guidelines outline which provincial and territorial costs can be shared with the federal government and how provinces and territories can apply for and manage claims.
The program is meant to work alongside other risk management strategies like insurance, risk informed land use and development, and hazard mitigation measures that reduce the impact of disasters before they happen.
The modernized DFAA program
The DFAA program recently underwent a review and modernization process in order to help build more resilient communities in the face of more frequent and severe disasters. Program improvements are captured in a new set of program Guidelines that will apply to eligible disasters occurring on or after April 1, 2025.
Note: Since it can take a number of years after an eligible disaster for a final payment under the DFAA to be received and processed, the former Guidelines will continue to apply for eligible disasters that occurred before April 1, 2025.
- Date modified: