Toronto officials are proposing to expand a key stormwater management initiative aimed at helping homeowners guard against basement flooding. The proposed changes to the Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program (BFPSP) would offer owners more tools and support.

Following heavy rainfall events in July and August 2024 that caused basement flooding in more than 1,000 homes, city staff reviewed existing programs and consulted with the public on new incentives to reduce stormwater runoff and basement flooding risks.

Staff are now recommending five key changes to the BFPSP including:

• increasing the maximum subsidy per property from $3,400 to $6,650;
• increasing backwater valve and sump pump subsidy amounts by 28 per cent to reflect inflation and market costs;
• introducing a new Home Plumbing Assessment subsidy to help homeowners identify internal plumbing issues contributing to basement flooding;
• allowing a second backwater valve subsidy for homes with multiple sewer connections;
• adding a $300 subsidy for sump pump battery backup systems including retrofits; and
• extending the application period from one to two years after eligible work is completed.

If approved, these enhancements could take effect as early as Friday, May 1, 2026

“Sump pumps and backwater valves might be the last thing on the mind for a family struggling to make ends meet, but a flood in your basement can be devastating,” Mayor Olivia Chow said in a statement. “The Enhanced Basement Protection Subsidy Program will get homeowners up to $6,650 so they can afford to protect their homes and their families from the next big storm.”

The BFPSP was established in 2007 for eligible residential property owners with subsidies to install flood protection measures. To date, the program has received about 59,000 applications, while the city has issued nearly $86 million in subsidies, with approximately 14 per cent of Toronto’s residential properties participating.