Updated for the May 1, 2026 program expansion
Approved Toronto Basement Flood Protection Subsidies
The City of Toronto will pay up to $6,650 per property to flood-proof your basement. Here is every eligible item, every condition, and the three mistakes that get claims denied.
The City of Toronto Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program reimburses eligible homeowners 80 per cent of the invoiced cost of flood protection work, up to a combined maximum of $6,650 per property. The five eligible items are a backwater valve and alarm at up to $1,600 per device on up to two devices, a sump pump and alarm at up to $2,250, a sump pump battery backup at up to $300, a one-time home plumbing assessment at up to $500, and weeping tile severance and capping at up to $400. These amounts apply to eligible work completed on or after November 12, 2025, and applications have been accepted since May 1, 2026. You must own a single-family, duplex, triplex or fourplex property in Toronto, have your downspouts disconnected, use a contractor with a valid City of Toronto business licence, and apply within two years of installation.
We are a licensed City of Toronto contractor, which is a mandatory condition of every claim in this program. We install the work, permit it, get it inspected, and prepare the documentation. The City pays the subsidy directly to you.
$6,650
Maximum Per Property
80%
Of Invoiced Cost
2 Years
Window to Apply
10 Weeks
Payment Processing
Every Eligible Item and What It Pays
Five categories of work qualify. Each has its own cap, each pays 80 per cent of your invoiced cost, and the combined ceiling per property is $6,650.
Backwater valve and alarm
80% of invoiced cost
Installation or replacement of a backwater valve, plus installation of an alarm for that valve. Eligible labour, materials and taxes are included. The subsidy covers a maximum of two new devices even if more are installed.
Condition: Requires a building permit and a City inspection. The valve must not be enclosed or covered before the inspection is complete, and you must consent to City access and photographs of the valve.
Backwater Valve InstallationSump pump and alarm
80% of invoiced cost
Installation or replacement of a sump pump, plus installation of a sump pump alarm. Eligible labour, materials and taxes are included. The subsidy covers one new device.
Condition: You must photograph the sump pump and the exterior discharge pipe and submit those photos with your application.
Sump Pump InstallationSump pump battery backup
80% of invoiced cost
A battery backup power source for your sump pump, claimed on top of the sump pump subsidy itself.
Condition: If the backup is built into the pump or installed separately, your contractor must itemize the cost of each component separately on the invoice or this portion is denied.
Sump Pump InstallationHome plumbing assessment
80% of invoiced cost
A one-time assessment in which a licensed plumber documents the issues in your internal plumbing that could contribute to basement flooding.
Condition: Your licensed plumber must complete the City's Home Plumbing Assessment Form. You are not required to act on any of the recommendations to receive this subsidy.
Full Home Plumbing InspectionWeeping tile severance and capping
80% of invoiced cost
Disconnecting your foundation drains (weeping tiles) from the City sewer system by severing and capping the underground sewer connection.
Condition: Once the weeping tile is severed from the sewer, groundwater has to go somewhere — in practice this work is paired with a sump pump.
Basement WaterproofingCombined maximum per property
$6,650
Had the work done before November 12, 2025?
The older, lower amounts apply, and your application window is one year from installation rather than two.
Backwater valve and alarm
$1,250
maximum one device
Sump pump and alarm
$1,750
maximum one device; no battery backup line item
Weeping tile severance and capping
$400
unchanged
What the Program Actually Is
Toronto floods from below. When an extreme rainfall event overwhelms the sewer system, that water has to go somewhere, and in tens of thousands of homes across this city the path of least resistance runs backwards up a sanitary lateral and out of a basement floor drain. The City has spent decades and billions on trunk sewer capacity, and it will never be enough on its own. So it pays homeowners to defend the last hundred feet themselves.
That is what this program is. It is not a grant for renovations and it is not a rebate on a product. It is a reimbursement of 80 per cent of what you actually paid a licensed contractor to install specific devices that stop water entering your home, capped item by item, with a combined ceiling of $6,650 per property.
The program was expanded significantly for work completed on or after November 12, 2025, and the City began accepting applications at the higher amounts on May 1, 2026. The backwater valve line item nearly doubled and now covers two devices rather than one. If you had this work done before the expansion date, the older and lower amounts apply.
Why This Is the Cheapest Flood Protection You Will Ever Buy
Run the arithmetic. A backwater valve installation in Toronto commonly lands between $1,500 and $4,000 depending on floor depth and access. The City returns 80 per cent of that up to $1,600. On a $2,000 installation, your net cost is $400. A sewage backup event in a finished basement routinely runs into five figures once flooring, drywall, contents and remediation are counted, and it is the kind of claim that reshapes your insurance premium for years afterward.
The other thing worth understanding is that this is a first-come, first-served program funded annually by City Council. Submitting an application does not guarantee payment. Funding availability is a real constraint, and demand spikes hard after every major storm. The homeowners who get paid are the ones who did the work and filed the paperwork before the queue formed.
The Three Mistakes That Get Claims Denied
We have seen homeowners spend thousands on qualifying work and receive nothing. In almost every case it comes down to one of three failures, and all three are entirely avoidable.
The first is hiring an unlicensed contractor. The work only qualifies if your contractor, and every sub-contractor on the job, held a valid City of Toronto business licence at the time the work was performed. Not afterwards. Not in the process of renewing. Valid on the day. Verify it through the City Business Licence Lookup tool or by calling 416-392-6700 before anyone starts. There is no appeal on this one.
The second is covering a backwater valve before the City inspects it. A subsidized valve requires a building permit and a City inspection, and the valve must remain uncovered until that inspection is complete. If your contractor installs the valve, patches the concrete and hands you an invoice, the City has no way to verify the device exists. The claim dies. This is the single most common failure we encounter, and it happens because closing the floor in one visit is faster and cheaper for the contractor.
The third is an invoice that does not itemize. The City calculates each subsidy line separately against its own cap. A sump pump and a battery backup billed as one lump sum cannot be split, so the backup portion gets denied. Your invoice needs the contractor and sub-contractor name and address, the property address, the date the work was completed, a per-device cost breakdown, and a total clearly marked paid in full. Electronic originals only.
How to Sequence the Work to Maximize What You Get Back
Most homeowners approach this one device at a time, usually in a panic after a storm. That is the most expensive way to do it. The program rewards planning.
Start with the home plumbing assessment. It is subsidized up to $500, it requires a licensed plumber to complete the City's own assessment form, and critically, you are under no obligation to act on any of its recommendations to collect that subsidy. It also tells you what you actually need, which stops you buying a second backwater valve you have no use for.
If you are having a backwater valve installed and your weeping tile is currently connected to the sanitary sewer, sever and cap it in the same visit and claim the $400. If you sever the weeping tile you will need a sump pump to handle the groundwater that no longer has a sewer to drain into, and that is another $2,250, plus $300 for the battery backup that keeps it running during the power outage that accompanies every serious storm.
Doing this as one coordinated project rather than four separate call-outs means one mobilization, one round of permits and one opening of the basement floor. And if your sewer lateral is also failing, replacing it at the same time as the valve installation is the single biggest saving available, because the floor is already open and the permit process is already underway.
What This Program Will Not Pay For
Be clear about the boundaries, because the gap between what homeowners assume is covered and what is actually covered is where disappointment lives.
Downspout disconnection is not eligible for a subsidy, but having your downspouts disconnected from the City sewer, or holding a City-granted exemption, is a mandatory condition of every other claim in the program. It is a prerequisite, not a line item.
Sewage ejector pumps are not covered. Neither is general waterproofing, foundation crack repair, window well work, grading, or interior finishing. And smart water shutoff devices are not part of this program at all, because the program addresses sewer backup and groundwater, not supply-side leaks from your own pipes.
That last distinction matters more than people realise. A backwater valve and a sump pump protect you from water coming in from outside. Neither one does anything about a burst supply line or a failed washing machine hose flooding your basement from inside. That is a separate risk requiring a separate device, and it is not subsidized.
What Is Not Covered
Knowing the boundaries prevents a denied claim and a wasted expectation.
Downspout disconnection
Disconnecting downspouts from your eavestrough system is not eligible for a subsidy — but having it done is a condition of every other claim in the program.
Sewage ejector pumps
Ejector pumps are not covered by the program. The Ontario Building Code may also restrict them where the plumbing system sits above the public sewer.
Smart water shutoff devices
Supply-side leak protection such as a Moen Flo is not part of this program. It guards against burst pipes and appliance leaks, which is a separate risk from sewer backup.
Work by an unlicensed contractor
If your contractor or any sub-contractor did not hold a valid City of Toronto business licence at the time of the work, the claim is denied outright.
This program covers water coming in from outside. For burst pipes and failed appliance hoses inside your home, a smart water shutoff is the answer — not subsidized, but a different risk entirely.
Moen Flo InstallationA backflow preventer is a different device and is not part of this program. It sits on your potable water supply to protect the City’s drinking water, and it is mandatory with annual testing for commercial and Part 3 residential properties.
Backflow PreventionEvery Condition You Have to Meet
All of these must be satisfied. A single failure denies the claim, and there is no appeal on the contractor licence requirement.
- 1
You are the registered owner of a single-family, duplex, triplex or fourplex residential property in the City of Toronto.
- 2
Your property has not already reached its lifetime maximum subsidy amount for that type of work.
- 3
Your downspouts are disconnected from the City sewer system, or the City has granted you an exemption.
- 4
All front yard paved areas, including parking pads, comply with the City of Toronto Zoning By-law.
- 5
The work was performed by a contractor and any sub-contractors holding a valid City of Toronto business licence at the time of the work.
- 6
You submit original electronic invoices from every contractor and sub-contractor involved.
- 7
You have no outstanding taxes or debts owed to the City of Toronto when your application is processed.
- 8
You apply within two years of the installation date (one year for work completed before November 12, 2025).
How to Apply, Step by Step
Follow this order. Two of these steps cannot be done retroactively, which is exactly why claims fail.
- 1
Verify the contractor licence before work starts
Check your contractor and every sub-contractor against the City Business Licence Lookup tool or call 416-392-6700. If the licence is not valid at the time of the work, the City denies the claim and there is no appeal.
- 2
Pull the permits the work requires
A backwater valve needs a standalone drain permit from Toronto Building. No plans are required for one- and two-unit houses. A Consent to Enter form is also required when a backwater valve and sump pump are installed.
- 3
Have the work inspected before anything is covered
Request the City inspection once the backwater valve is installed and leave it uncovered until the inspection is complete. The City may photograph or video the valve to verify it.
- 4
Collect the documentation the City will demand
Original electronic invoices showing the contractor and sub-contractor name and address, the property address, the date the work was completed, an itemized cost breakdown per device, and the total marked paid in full. Plus photos of the sump pump and exterior discharge pipe.
- 5
Submit the online application
Apply through the City portal within two years of the installation date. Incomplete applications are not processed. Approved subsidies take up to 10 weeks to arrive and are paid directly to you.
Which Contractor Licences Qualify
The licence class determines which work a contractor can perform under this program. Verify any contractor through the City Business Licence Lookup or by calling 416-392-6700 before work starts.
| Licence Class | Plumbing Assessment | Backwater Valve | Sump Pump | Weeping Tile Severance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing Contractor (T94) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Plumbing and Heating Contractor (T92) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Drain Contractor (T87) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Building Renovator (T85) | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Questions about your property’s subsidy history, or whether you have already reached a lifetime maximum? Contact the City directly at BasementFlooding@toronto.ca or 416-338-7668.
Find out what your home qualifies for
We camera the sanitary line under your basement floor, tell you which of the five eligible items your property actually needs, and quote the work with the permit and inspection built in. If your basement is flooding right now, call instead — it is faster.
We hold a valid City of Toronto business licence, permit the work, book the City inspection, and issue the itemized electronic invoice your application requires.
- Phone
- (416) 769-8800
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Toronto Subsidy Questions, Answered
The questions homeowners ask us most about claiming this program.
Up to $6,650 per property. The program pays 80 per cent of your invoiced cost against five separate caps: $1,600 per backwater valve and alarm on up to two devices, $2,250 for a sump pump and alarm, $300 for a sump pump battery backup, $500 for a one-time home plumbing assessment, and $400 for weeping tile severance and capping. These amounts apply to eligible work completed on or after November 12, 2025, and applications have been accepted since May 1, 2026.
You must be the registered owner of a single-family, duplex, triplex or fourplex residential property in the City of Toronto. Your downspouts must be disconnected from the City sewer system or you must hold a City-granted exemption. All front yard paved areas including parking pads must comply with the City Zoning By-law. You must have no outstanding taxes or debts owed to the City, the property must not have already reached its lifetime maximum for that work type, and the work must have been performed by a contractor holding a valid City of Toronto business licence.
Two years from the installation date for work completed on or after November 12, 2025. For work completed before that date, the window is one year and the older lower subsidy amounts apply. Applications must be complete when submitted, because the City does not process incomplete applications, and approved subsidies take up to 10 weeks to be paid directly to you.
No. The City states plainly that subsidies are issued on a first-come, first-served basis subject to funding availability approved annually by City Council. Submitting an application does not guarantee payment. This is why timing matters: demand surges after every major storm event, and the homeowners who get paid are the ones already in the queue.
A City of Toronto Plumbing Contractor (T94), Plumbing and Heating Contractor (T92) or Drain Contractor (T87) licence qualifies for all four work types. A Building Renovator (T85) licence qualifies only for sump pump installation and weeping tile severance and capping, not for backwater valve work or the home plumbing assessment. Every contractor and sub-contractor must be licensed at the time of the work. Verify before starting through the City Business Licence Lookup or by calling 416-392-6700.
A backwater valve requires a standalone drain permit from Toronto Building, and no plans are required for houses with one or two dwelling units. A City inspection is also required after installation, and the valve must not be enclosed or covered until that inspection is complete. Where a backwater valve and sump pump are installed together, the City also requires a Consent to Enter form so Toronto Water can verify the sump pump exists and determine subsidy eligibility.
The expanded program covers up to two devices per property at up to $1,600 each. Whether your home warrants two is a technical question, not a financial one. Properties with separate storm and sanitary connections, or with a second point of entry into the drainage system, may genuinely need two. Most homes need one. A camera inspection of the sanitary line under your basement floor answers it definitively.
No. Downspout disconnection is not an eligible expense under this program. However, having your downspouts disconnected from the City sewer system, or holding a City-granted exemption, is a mandatory condition for receiving any other subsidy in the program. Treat it as a prerequisite you have to satisfy before the rest of the program is available to you.
No. This program addresses sewer backup and groundwater intrusion, so it covers backwater valves, sump pumps, battery backups, weeping tile severance and plumbing assessments. A smart water shutoff device protects against supply-side failures such as a burst pipe or a failed appliance hose, which is a different risk and is not subsidized. Both risks are real, but only one is funded by the City.
Original electronic invoices from every contractor and sub-contractor showing their name and address, your property address, the date the work was completed, an itemized cost breakdown per device or service, and a total clearly marked paid in full. For sump pump claims you also need photographs of the sump pump and the exterior discharge pipe. For a home plumbing assessment you need the City's completed Home Plumbing Assessment Form. For a backwater valve you need the permit and a completed City inspection.
The Work That Qualifies
Backwater Valve Installation
The largest line item in the program. Up to $1,600 per device on two devices.
Sump Pump Installation
Up to $2,250 for the pump and alarm, plus $300 for the battery backup.
Basement Waterproofing
Weeping tile severance and capping is eligible for up to $400.
Full Home Plumbing Inspection
A one-time home plumbing assessment is eligible for up to $500.
Important
Subsidy amounts and conditions are set by the City of Toronto and can change. The amounts shown apply to eligible work completed on or after November 12, 2025, and applications for those amounts are accepted as of May 1, 2026. Subsidies are issued on a first-come, first-served basis subject to annual funding approved by City Council, so submitting an application does not guarantee payment. Advanced Plumbing & Drains prepares your documentation but does not administer the program. Confirm current amounts and conditions on the official City of Toronto program page.
Flood-proof the basement. Let the City pay $6,650 of it.
Licensed City of Toronto contractor. Permits, inspections and subsidy documentation handled.
Call (416) 769-8800