When flooding affects Northern communities, financial support services are more important than ever

When mother of three Meagan* experienced flooding in her home community in Northern Ontario, her first thought was not to save documents, but to keep her family safe. 

Among the many things lost in the flooding were her children’s birth certificates. At the time, she couldn’t have known just how important those documents would become. 

Prior to the flooding, Meagan was already facing serious financial pressure. Three years earlier, her Canada Child Benefit (CCB) had been cut off for reasons she did not fully understand. She had tried several times to resolve the issue herself, without success. Without this important source of income, providing for her three children while trying to leave an abusive relationship had become increasingly difficult. 

When Meagan attended one of Sudbury Community Service Centre’s (SCSC) Super Clinics, their team discovered she had not filed her taxes for the previous three years, likely a key reason her benefits had been suspended. 

John, a frontline support worker at SCSC, supported her in completing and filing the outstanding returns.  

Three weeks later, another barrier emerged. 

Meagan received correspondence indicating that her CCB could not be reinstated until she provided proof that her children were in her care, along with copies of their birth certificates — the same documents that had been lost in the flooding. 

For people affected by flooding and displacement in northern communities, a missing document can become much more than an inconvenience. It can stand between a family and the financial support they rely on. 

John helped Meagan apply for replacement birth certificates and guided her through gathering the other documents needed to confirm custody. By this point, she had temporarily relocated to northeastern Ontario. Their team helped coordinate with the local Service Canada office there so she could safely receive and copy the replacement documents. 

Once everything was in place, a three-way call with the CRA CARES line was arranged. 

Not only did Meagan’s CCB payments start again, she also received the payments she had missed over the previous three years. In total, she received more than $48,000 in benefits she was entitled to. 

The impact went far beyond catching up on bills. 

By late March, Meagan had permanently relocated to northeastern Ontario to leave an abusive relationship. The money helped her secure stable housing, replace essential household items, provide for her children and purchase a used vehicle so she could begin looking for work. 

Flooding can disrupt almost every part of life. Families may be displaced from their communities, lose important documents and find themselves navigating government systems while also trying to meet their most immediate needs. 

At times like these, access to financial support services becomes more important than ever. Meagan’s story shows what can happen when people have the right support to help navigate those systems, overcome barriers and access the benefits they are entitled to. 

Acknowledgements  

Prosper Canada is grateful to Principal Funder, IG Wealth Management and the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) for their invaluable support of this work. 

*Name changed for privacy.