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High River residents frustrated over government’s flood compensation

Mac and Donna Arbuthnoth's bed and breakfast was destroyed in the 2013 flood. Donna Arbuthnoth, High River

HIGH RIVER – 15 months after the flood in High River, residents are still fighting the province for disaster relief money.

Mac and Donna Arbuthnoth run a bed and breakfast that was destroyed in the flood.

They applied for funding from the Disaster Recovery Program, hired a contractor and began rebuilding.

The job cost them $150,000.

The province sent them a cheque for $30,000 but won’t say if there’s anything more coming.

The contractor says they were never told any of the work wouldn’t be covered.

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“I just want the government to follow through with what they said they’re going to do, make a decision and let us know where they stand,” says Jason Carter with Greh-Ter Construction.

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“He [Carter] really went into this in good faith and you know, it’s a lot of money now that we feel responsible for,” adds Donna Arbuthnot.

The province says owners were told what damages would be covered.

“The program covers basic function for a small business and we do not cover enhancements that may be made to a property or to a business,” says Twyla Hale, Director of Recovery Operations with the province.

The province says their file has not been closed yet but couldn’t say if more money would be paid out on their claim.

The Town of High River says it has received hundreds of complaints about the recovery program.

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