Chris Lowrey
MUNICIPALITY OF PONTIAC
July 24, 2017
Municipality of Pontiac Mayor Roger Larose recent modifications to the province’s disaster relief program do not go far enough.
In a post on the municipality’s Facebook page, Larose said that “the disaster victims in the Municipality of Pontiac have not been heard.”
Anyone who lives in the 0-20 year flood zone that sustained damage to their home which totals more than 50 per cent of its value will not be able to rebuild.
Larose said that in the Municipality of Pontiac there were approximately 50 homes that are in the 0-20 year flood zone, around 20 of which will need to be torn down.
The maximum amount available to residents who qualify is $250,000 – even if the value of their home is higher.
The province recently boosted the amount of money a resident can get for their land. Originally, the province would pay a maximum of $50,000 for the land. Now, that amount can be higher but will be rolled into the maximum of $250,000.
Despite the changes, Larose said that the province is not responding to the concerns of the municipality.
He pointed to the fact that although some people in the municipality will have to leave their homes, others who live in the same area will be allowed to stay.
Larose said he has spoken to residents who were able to protect their homes from flooding, but cannot conduct renovations to prevent flood damage in the future. So if someone who lives in the 0-20 flood zone wanted to boost their foundation out of the flood zone, Larose said they won’t be allowed.
“If you’re going to say they can stay there, well, let them protect themselves,” he said.
He also noted that the cost to maintain private roads could also increase. If, for example, three of the five homes on a private road are declared total losses and cannot be rebuilt, the maintenance costs for the remaining two homes would be significantly higher. Larose said that the municipality might have to shoulder more costs in a case like that.
In the weeks since the flood, Larose said that many residents have told them they feel like they’ve been left in the dark and haven’t been kept abreast of information from the province.
It’s a problem he said he shares with residents.
“I can’t even give them an answer because the law is not clear for us if we can give them a permit [to rebuild],” Larose said.
In municipalities that have water and sewer systems, the province can evaluate flood risks on a regional scale. Since the Municipality of Pontiac doesn’t have a water and sewer system, the province must painstakingly evaluate each home individually.
It’s a tough situation considering the competing priorities at play. Larose and the Municipality of Pontiac want to ensure as many people as possible can stay in their homes. The province, on the other hand, wants to make sure that damage during future flooding is kept at a minimum, and preventing future builds in the 0-20 flood zone is one way of doing that.
Larose also said the compensation of $250,000 is insufficient for some residents.
He spoke about one resident who is eligible for the $250,000 in relief funds, but will still have around $100,000 in debt.
“If you’re going to pay someone for their house, pay them what it’s worth,” he said.
