Markham Basement Flooding Rebate: How to Get Up to $5,000
If you want the Markham basement flooding rebate, officially the City's Private Plumbing Protection Rebate, here is exactly what it pays, who qualifies, and the order the steps have to happen in. We do the eligible plumbing work, the CCTV inspection the City asks for, and the paperwork with you, and the cheque goes to you, not us.
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Indoor backwater valve: up to $1,750. Outdoor backwater valve: up to $2,000. Weeping tile disconnection with a sump pump: up to $5,000. Weeping tile redirected by gravity: up to $3,000. Sewer lateral relining or repair: up to $2,500. City approval before work, a building permit, and disconnected downspouts are required. Permit by April 30, 2027; rebate application by July 31, 2027.
placeholder imageWho qualifies
From the City's program rules: the property is in a known flood-prone area or can demonstrate flood risk; there are no outstanding contraventions, work orders, municipal fines, taxes or fees; downspouts are disconnected from the City sewers; the City approves the work before it starts; a building permit is issued; and the work meets the Ontario Building Code. (City of Markham)
| Situation | What is included | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Backwater valve, indoor (sanitary or storm lateral) | Per the City program | Up to $1,750 |
| Backwater valve, outdoor | Per the City program | Up to $2,000 |
| Weeping tile disconnection + sump pump | Foundation drains disconnected, new sump | Up to $5,000 |
| Weeping tile redirection (gravity) | Tile redirected to the storm lateral | Up to $3,000 |
| Lateral relining or repair | Sanitary or storm lateral | Up to $2,500 |
Source: City of Markham, Basement Flooding and Sewer Back-up Prevention (checked CONFIRM: month and year the prices were last checked, e.g. October 2026). Amounts are maximums; the City decides eligibility.
The steps, in order
- Talk to a contractor about which measures your house needs. (That is us: call (437) 525-2696.)
- Send the Technical Review Application to the City at plumbingrebate@markham.ca.
- CCTV inspection of your sewer lateral. We record it and you submit the results. See our sewer camera and repair page.
- City Technical Review approval. Do not start before this.
- Building permit through the City's online portal.
- Installation by a qualified contractor: backwater valve, sump pump and weeping tile disconnection, or lateral repair.
- Building inspection by the City.
- Rebate application with your invoices.
- Cheque from the City.
Deadlines that matter
The program has been extended, but not forever. The building permit must be issued by April 30, 2027, and the rebate application filed by July 31, 2027. Approval and permits take time, so a homeowner who starts in March 2027 is cutting it close. Spring is also when every flood-protection contractor in York Region is booked.
Which measure for which house
- Sewage has come up through the floor drain: a backwater valve first.
- Water comes in through the foundation or the floor drain after heavy rain, and your weeping tile drains into the sanitary sewer: weeping tile disconnection with a sump pump, usually alongside a backwater valve. A valve alone traps foundation water inside the house when it closes.
- Repeat backups and roots or cracks on the camera: lateral relining or repair, up to $2,500 back.
Why Markham runs this program
Markham's 30-year Flood Control Program, approved in 2013 at an estimated $367 to $382 million, upgrades the drainage built before 1978, which was not designed for today's large storms. The August 19, 2005 storm flooded basements across West Thornhill, and July 2017 storms flooded parts of Markham Village and Unionville. The City fixes the public pipes; this rebate pays toward the private side, your house. (City of Markham)
Common questions
Is the rebate paid to me or to the plumber?
To you, the property owner, after the work passes inspection and you submit the rebate application with the invoices. You pay the contractor first.
Can I do the work first and apply after?
Not for new installations. The City's technical review and approval come before the work, and a building permit is required. Work done without approval risks getting nothing back.
My house has never flooded. Do I qualify?
The program is for properties in known flood-prone areas or that can demonstrate flood risk. Your address, the age of the area's drainage and what the CCTV inspection shows all count. Ask the City through plumbingrebate@markham.ca, or call us and we will look at it with you.
What if my downspouts still go into the ground?
They have to be disconnected first. Markham requires downspouts to discharge at least 1 metre from the foundation, with the ground sloping away. It is usually a simple job, and we can do it on the same visit.
Is this the same as the Toronto subsidy?
No. Toronto runs its own Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy with different amounts and rules. This page is only about properties in the City of Markham.
Someone called saying they are from the City and can install a valve. Is that real?
The City of Markham says it does not contact homeowners by phone about flood protection installations. Ask for verifiable contact details and check with the City before agreeing to anything.