‘There was nothing to be saved’

In Fort Mac, insurance questions linger; province steps up with flood relief

FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA.— Cora Dion’s voice echoes as she films a video showing what’s left in the basement of her home in downtown Fort McMurray after several days of flood cleanup.

“Everything ’s gone,” says Dion as she walks through the empty basement, which has been stripped to the concrete. “We’ve taken so many loads to the dump. It’s insane.”

Dion is one of about 13,000 residents forced to flee the northern Alberta city in late April when ice jams caused the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers to overflow their banks and cause major flooding.

It’s the second time in the last four years that Dion and her family had to leave their home for a natural disaster. The first time was because of a destructive wildfire that caused the evacuation of the entire city.

The Dions didn’t have damage after the fire, but this time they returned home to a flooded basement and no power.

“It was like an apocalypse,” Dion said in an interview with The Canadian Press. “Everything we owned in the basement — there was nothing to be saved.”

Dion, her husband and their two dogs, cat and a chinchilla can’t stay in their home until it’s safe. They don’t expect their insurance policy will cover the damage.

The Dions aren’t the only ones who can’t go home — more than 3,000 people remain displaced.

Don Scott, mayor of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, said many of those homeowners either don’t have insurance or won’t have enough insurance. “There is a huge issue in this region,” he said.

Scott estimated there’s at least $100 million in damage. He’s asked senior levels of government to help residents with a disaster recovery program.

On Friday, the Alberta government stepped up. “We will be providing communities … $147 million to help families, businesses and communities to recover and rebuild,” said Premier Jason Kenney.

The money isn’t meant to replace insurance. The Insurance Bureau of Canada said the flood was devastating for residents in northern Alberta.

“Overland flood insurance is relatively new in Canada,” explained Celyeste Power, the bureau’s vice-president for Western Canada. “Insurers came out with products over the last five years.”

She said 13 insurers offer overland flood coverage in Alberta, but it’s an add-on to policies. “Half of Albertans have actually opted in,” said Power.

The option, she said, is further complicated for those who live on flood plains or in high-risk areas. “Flood insurance there is usually much more limited or restricted because the likelihood of flood is so much higher,” she said. “The policy would be unaffordable.”

Power said a flood plain was affected in Fort McMurray so that would explain why there are so many people without insurance — a different situation than after the fire when many homeowners had insurance.

For Dion, the high water triggered difficult memories of the fire. “It was actually pretty close to the anniversary,” she said. “It was very, very stressful, but at the same time we had a plan (for the flood), so that was good.”

“Everything’s gone. We’ve taken so many loads to the dump. It’s insane.”

CORA DION FORT MCMURRAY RESIDENT