The Manitoba government is expanding the 2025 Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program to include dedicated funding for disaster risk reduction and wildfire mitigation, ensuring future recovery efforts also strengthen long‑term resilience.

“Manitobans deserve a disaster financial assistance program that not only helps communities recover but also makes them stronger and safer in the long term,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor, minister responsible for the Emergency Management Organization. “By expanding the DFA program to include disaster risk reduction and wildfire mitigation, we are ensuring that every recovery effort also builds future resilience.”

Previously focused solely on response and recovery, the DFA program will now help communities rebuild in ways that reduce future risk. This change reflects a growing recognition that protecting Manitobans requires not only repairing damage after disasters but also investing in measures that reduce the risk and impact of future events, the minister said.

The 2025 Wildfire DFA program is the first to operate under this expanded model, the minister noted. The Manitoba government will provide 12 municipalities directly affected by last year’s wildfires with additional funding specifically for projects designed to rebuild their communities while reducing future wildfire and disaster risk.

Each eligible municipality will receive mitigation funding equal to 25 per cent of its total DFA‑eligible response and recovery costs. Based on current estimates, more than $2.2 million in mitigation funding will flow to communities, the minister said. The funding is dedicated exclusively to reducing future disaster and wildfire risk.

Two municipalities already have mitigation projects approved:

  • Town of Snow Lake – construction of four fire breaks ahead of the 2026 wildfire season. These fire breaks are intended to reduce the community’s exposure to future wildfire spread.
  • Rural Municipality of Lac du Bonnet – development of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan. This plan will help identify local wildfire risks and guide the prioritization of future mitigation actions.

For more information on Disaster Financial Assistance, visit gov.mb.ca.