Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements
The DFAA program funds provincial and territorial disaster response, recovery, and mitigation efforts, emphasizing resilience and best practices in disaster management.
Funder: Public Safety Canada
Due Dates: Rolling (requests must be made within 6 months of disaster end date)
Funding Amounts: No fixed maximum; federal cost-share up to 90% of eligible expenses above a per capita threshold, depending on funding stream and province/territory.
Summary: Provides cost-shared financial assistance to provinces and territories for eligible response and recovery costs from large-scale natural disasters.
Key Information: Only provinces and territories may apply; individuals and organizations must seek support through their local government programs.
Description
The Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA) program is a federal initiative administered by Public Safety Canada to help provincial and territorial governments manage the financial burden of large-scale natural disasters. The program provides cost-shared financial assistance for eligible response, relief, recovery, and mitigation costs when a disaster exceeds a province or territory’s capacity to manage without federal support. The DFAA is not open to direct applications from individuals, researchers, or organizations; instead, it reimburses eligible expenses incurred by provincial or territorial governments, who in turn administer local disaster support programs.
The program underwent significant modernization, with new guidelines applying to disasters occurring on or after April 1, 2025. These updates emphasize resilience, risk reduction, and alignment with current best practices in disaster management.
