Subsidy Program

Each property owner is required to have a plumber, licensed by the City of Toronto, carry out a site assessment to determine the suitability of isolating their property from the sewer system.

There is a City of Toronto subsidy called Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program that can help you minimize the expense of the flood protection devices installation.

The following items ans works are eligible for a subsidy after proper installation:

The City offers owners of single-family, duplex and triplex residential homes a financial subsidy of up to $3,400 per property to install flood protection devices including a backwater valve, a sump pump, and pipe severance and capping of the home’s storm sewer or external weeping tile connection.
Work that is eligible

Each property owner is required to have a Plumbing Contractor, licensed by the City of Toronto and carry out a site assessment to determine the suitability of isolating their property from the City’s sewer system. The following items and works are eligible for a subsidy after proper installation:

A: Backwater valve

In consultation with a Plumbing Contractor or Drain Contractor licensed by the City of Toronto, homeowners may determine that a backwater valve on the sanitary sewage and/or stormwater connection could provide sufficient basement flooding protection.

Available subsidy = 80% of the invoiced cost up to a maximum of $1,250 including eligible labour, materials, permit and taxes.

B: Sump pump

In consultation with a Plumbing Contractor and/or a Building Renovator with an endorsement for concrete work licensed by the City of Toronto, homeowners may determine that a sump pump is required to manage the water normally collected by footing weeping tiles that drain to the sanitary, storm or combined sewer. Sump pumps need power to operate, so consider installing a back-up power source.

Available subsidy = 80% of the invoiced cost up to a maximum of $1,750 including eligible labour, materials and taxes.

C: Pipe severance and capping

In consultation with a Plumbing Contractor or Drain Contractor licensed by the City of Toronto, homeowners may determine that disconnecting foundation drains (weeping tiles) from the City’s sewer system by severing and capping the underground sewer connection is also required to protect the home from basement flooding.

Available subsidy = 80% of the invoiced cost up to a maximum of $400 including eligible labour, materials and taxes.