Flood assistance program improved
The Quebec government is boosting its financial assistance program to help victims of the great flood of 2017.
Calling the natural disaster that flooded more than 5,200 homes in the province an “exceptional” event, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard announced substantial revisions to the aid program on Wednesday in Montreal.
Key changes under the new program include bumping the total amount for damages to a principal residence from $159,208 under the old plan to $200,000.
In cases where a home is a total writeoff, a homeowner could also receive another $50,000 for the loss of his property, depending on its municipal evaluation. That would bring a total compensation package of $250,000 for someone walking away from a home and property damaged by the flood.
Asked whether there should be a ceiling on the amount of damages people can claim for the loss of their home under the assistance program, Couillard said, “There is no program anywhere without a ceiling. You have to control expenses at some point.
“We significantly moved the ceiling up,” he added. “You’re talking about $200,000 for the house itself, but you have to add to this the possibility of compensation for the lot as well, which could increase the total to compensation to $250,000. So it is not an insignificant amount.”
Couillard said the new program addresses the needs of most Quebecers affected by the massive flood in some 261 towns and cities.
“I realize with certain expensive homes it’s not going to cover everything,” he said.
“But if you look at the income of Quebecers, what we know of this, it will cover a significant share.”
The government also raised the amount people can claim for the loss of household items and clothing. For example, the amount for a washer went to $800 from $600, while a dryer increased to $600 from $450. A freezer claim can be $450.
Clothing claims also rose from a maximum of $1,500 per occupant to $2,000. So a family of four having to replace clothes damaged by the flood can claim a maximum of $8,000, up from $6,000 under the old program.
As for temporary preventive measures, like the cost of sand bags and other materials, the maximum amount increased to $5,000 from $3,000 for residential property owners. The limit for businesses increased to $8,000 from $5,000.
The government is also offering tax credits for cleaning and preservation expenses incurred by flood victims. The program also defines new criteria to cover owners of rental properties.
Although more than 4,000 people were forced from their homes during the flood, Couillard said the government will not be asking residents living in areas at risk of flooding to relocate. He noted families living in flooded areas near Gatineau have been there for three generations.
“I’m not going to tell them, please pack your things, we’re moving you. That’s not the way we’re going to behave with citizens,” he said.
“Again, I want to be respectful of people’s lives, and not treat them as objects that we can move left and right. If they want to move elsewhere, they will be allowed to do so. But I want to give them choice here.”
I want to be respectful of people’s lives, and not treat them as objects that we can move left and right.