The City of Toronto will pay part of the cost of flood protection on an eligible home. As of May 1, 2026, that subsidy is up to $6,650 per property for work completed on or after November 12, 2025. The City pays 80% of each eligible invoice, up to the cap for that item.
Covers Toronto, North York, Etobicoke, and Scarborough.
What the $6,650 is made of
These are the published maximums. Most homes use one or two of them, not the whole amount.
- Home plumbing assessment80% up to $500
- Backwater valve80% up to $3,200
- Sump pump80% up to $2,250
- Battery backup80% up to $300
- Weeping tile disconnection80% up to $400
| Eligible work | Share | Maximum the City pays |
|---|---|---|
| Home plumbing assessment | 80% | $500 |
| Backwater valve (up to 2 devices) | 80% | $3,200 |
| Sump pump | 80% | $2,250 |
| Battery backup | 80% | $300 |
| Weeping tile disconnection | 80% | $400 |
Who can apply
- You are the registered owner of a single-family home, duplex, triplex, or fourplex in the City of Toronto.
- The downspouts are disconnected from the sewer, or the City has granted an exemption.
- The property has no unpaid City taxes or other debts when the application is processed.
- You apply within two years of the installation.
- The contractor held a valid City of Toronto business licence when the work was done. A plumbing or drain licence covers every item on this page.
Subsidies are first-come, first-served. Each item also has a lifetime maximum. If you are not sure whether this address has already been paid, the City can check.
BasementFlooding@toronto.ca or 416-338-7668
How we handle the paperwork
- 1
We check the address
The subsidy is only for a house, duplex, triplex, or fourplex inside the City of Toronto. We confirm that before we quote.
- 2
The estimate shows both numbers
You see the price of the work and the subsidy that invoice could qualify for. The subsidy is not subtracted from what you pay us.
- 3
Permit and inspection
A backwater valve needs a City plumbing permit. We book the inspection and leave the valve uncovered until it passes.
- 4
An invoice the City will accept
Each device is on its own line, the contractor licence is current, and the invoice is marked paid in full. That is what the application asks for.
Questions about this program
No. You pay the invoice. After the City approves the application, it pays the subsidy to you. The receipt on this page is a planning figure, not a discount on our bill.
The application is in the property owner's name, and the City pays the owner. We complete the assessment form, pull the backwater-valve permit, book the inspection, and give you an itemized invoice marked paid in full, which is what the application asks for.
The older caps apply: up to $1,250 for one backwater valve, up to $1,750 for a sump pump, and up to $400 to disconnect the weeping tile. There was no separate assessment or battery line. Those applications are due within one year of the installation, not two.
No. This program is only for properties in the City of Toronto. It does not cover Georgian Bay or the rest of Muskoka, and it does not cover Peel, Halton, York, or Durham. Those places are listed on the flooding rebates page.
The City says it can take up to 10 weeks after a complete application. Incomplete applications are not processed. Funding is first-come, first-served while the year's budget lasts.
Yes, for a backwater valve. The valve has to stay uncovered until the City inspection passes. A sump pump needs photos of the pump and the outside discharge pipe. Downspout disconnection is not part of this subsidy.
Amounts were checked against the City of Toronto Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program on October 5, 2026. The City page was last modified June 18, 2026. Building permit for a backwater valve. Apply to the City.