When you receive your Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program acknowledgement letter from Manitoba Emergency Management Organization, the letter will tell you that your disaster is eligible for the DFA and also eligible for the MPP.

An overview of the MPP is provided in the Mitigation and Preparedness Program Webinar Presentation. A more detailed overview can be found in the program guidelines.

Your municipality's MPP amount is the same as its Disaster Financial Assistance deductible (municipal share). You can calculate this amount using the cost-sharing calculator. All you need to know is the total amount of your eligible disaster costs and your municipality's population. If a municipality has not sustained any eligible costs under the Disaster Financial Assistance program or does not meet cost-sharing, then there will be no MPP funding available.

In order to opt in to the MPP program, you will need to complete an application. After your application is received, an MPP staff team member will contact you with any questions. Once approved, you will be notified and can discuss additional requirements, such as signing a contribution agreement.

Your municipality has a number of options for spending the MPP amount including putting the deductible into a reserve account. This will allow you to save the deductible toward a bigger project or set the money aside until your project details are finalized. Refer to the program guidelines for more information on setting up a reserve fund.

As you submit your Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) expenses to Manitoba Emergency Management Organization, you will receive reimbursement for DFA-eligible expenses via the usual process. If you have chosen to opt in to the MPP, and have received approval for the project you have proposed, you will sign a Contribution Agreement and EMO will then reimburse the amount equal to your DFA deductible as part of its next reimbursement. The deductible, which at that time becomes your MPP amount, will be tracked on your payment sheet so that you can ensure that all deductible amounts are put toward an eligible mitigation and preparedness project (or placed into an MPP reserve account).

Unlike the Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program, the MPP amount does not have to be invested in a damaged site. The MPP amount is meant to be invested into anything that will benefit disaster preparedness and mitigation in the municipality and is separate from DFA.

Some examples include:

• The construction of a new or the upgrade/rehabilitation of existing municipal infrastructure to provide structural capacity and/or natural capacity to adapt to climate change impacts, natural disasters and/or extreme weather events
• The purchase of equipment and resources to support preparedness activities
• The completion of risk assessment projects to inform disaster preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation activities
• The use of funds to support applying to other disaster mitigation-related provincial or federal programs

A list of example projects are included in the program guidelines.

The MPP is not meant to cover expenses that municipalities are already undertaking as part of their regular operation and maintenance programs. A full list of ineligible expenses can be found in the program guidelines.

If, while you are completing your application, you are uncertain whether a particular item would be eligible, please contact the MPP team to discuss.

Once the construction of your project starts, you will be required to report monthly on progress. A monthly reporting template is part of the contribution agreement and fillable templates will be sent to you after your agreement is finalized. If there was not much activity during the month, you can just add this detail to the template and send it in.

Once your project is complete, you are required to complete a final project report form, describing the amount of the MPP contribution that was invested, the total project costs, eligible cost details and revenue from other funding sources, if applicable. This template will also be sent as part of your contribution agreement.

Municipalities may have up to five years from the date the contribution agreement is signed to complete the project and the final project report form.

The example projects listed are not exhaustive and there may be projects that will increase resiliency that are not listed. Please email mpp@gov.mb.ca if you have an idea that you would like to discuss.

Surpluses or unspent funds must be returned to Manitoba. Contact mpp@gov.mb.ca if you encounter this issue.

The application form will ask you to identify how your project meets one or more of the program's guiding principles, and will be evaluated as such. The MPP's evaluation criteria can be found by visiting the MPP website, but in general, projects will evaluated based on the guiding principles:

• Investments are cost-effective and evidence based
• Projects that affect the region would need to consider regional implications
• Projects focus on the management of risk
• Partnerships are developed
• A sustainable approach is undertaken
• Projects lead to resilient communities

Emergency Management Organization administers the program.

You can email mpp@gov.mb.ca for information and to ask any questions you may have.