Manitoba’s Minister of Local Government says he’s not about to question any flood victim’s frustration. Steve Ashton says the government is making progress on assessments and compensation. But he admits the task is monumental.
“Right now around $550 million in terms of compensation. Right now it’s a matter of getting on a case by case basis and there are 30,000 claims coming out of last year’s flood. Three times what we had in 1997.”
Get daily National news
Flood victims gathered at a Winnipeg high school Wednesday night to plan possible court action against the province over the delivery and value of compensation.
Around 400 Lake Manitoba cottagers and property owners showed up Wednesday to Sisler High School to discuss their legal options to get compensation for their damaged properties.
The cost to property owners is unclear, but organizers of the meeting say there was high interest in going forward with the class-action lawsuit. “I’ve lost my property, I haven’t been compensated, I haven’t been contacted,” said Walter Turek, who was in attendance Wednesday.
Dennis Turek was also at the meeting, “right now it’s a lot of confusion, a lot of foot dragging and it’s just getting to the point where enough is enough,” he said.
Flood victims claim the Province ran the Portage diversion above capacity during 2011’s spring flood causing the lake to go up seven feet higher than ever before.
Comments