After months of speaking out against what they call a slow and confusing process, Pierrefonds residents Itsik Romano and René Leblanc are finally getting some attention.
Quebec Public Security Minister Martin Coiteux asked them to come by his West Island office for a one-on-one meeting Monday.
READ MORE: Pierrefonds-Roxboro residents want answers from government
“Overall, I’m pleased with what we did and with what we saw this morning,” Leblanc told Global News.
“Yes, I give it a positive note, but I’ll give it a much more positive note if we see all of these words translated into action.”
Leblanc and Romano were among a dozen families forced out of their homes on des Maçons Street in Pierrefonds after the intense floods raged through Quebec.
READ MORE: Victims fed up of waiting for compensation
Though residents have received some money from the government, they say it’s nothing close to what they need to get their lives back on track.
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WATCH: Global News Montreal Senior Anchor Jamie Orchard speaks to Quebec Public Security Minister Martin Coiteux about improving the process for getting compensation after the intense spring floods.
They’ve been advocating for victims across the province to speed up the compensation process.
READ MORE: Pierrefonds residents stage ‘awareness campaign’ during Montreal Symphony Orchestra free concert
Both Romano and Leblanc say their one-hour long meeting with the minister was informative and productive.
“Right now, we got the information that if we provide them with a permit to build, we will be able to receive the money faster,” said Romano.
“We did not know about that.”
Coiteux explained, as their local MNA, he felt the responsibility of organizing a meeting after receiving several calls.
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“They had a number of recommendations and suggestions,” he said.
“I think the meeting was very constructive. Now, in terms of immediate help, we identified a few problems that we will address together.”
READ MORE: Victims organizing rally to get government’s attention
Though the residents said their meeting with Coiteux went well, they insist other members of the community are still struggling.
They plan to go ahead with a rally scheduled for September.
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