Nine mayors off the western tip of the Montreal island are calling on the Quebec premier and Canadian prime minister to do more to help flood victims.
In a 468-word letter to the two leaders, titled “Flooding 2019 — Once the cameras leave, so do the politicians,” the mayors — representing the areas of Pointe-Fortune, Rigaud, Hudson, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Vaudreuil-sur-le-Lac, L’Île-Cadieux, Terrasse-Vaudreuil, L’Île-Perrot and Pincourt — are requesting the Quebec government start writing cheques more quickly to homeowners to help them rebuild or move.
And they want prime minister Justin Trudeau to authorize the return of Canadian troops to help with cleanup efforts where needed.
In the letter, the local politicians write, “Mr. Legault, where is the support from the Public Security Department?”
“Do you not find the situation deplorable?” the letter continues.
Meanwhile, Premier François Legault has offered up to $200,000 for home owners in financial compensation to move out of the flood zones.
And he insists the money is on its way.
“We’ll act as fast as possible. I don’t like bureaucracy, I don’t like long delays so I will make sure we act fast,” he said at the National Assembly.
WATCH: (May 10, 2019) Should old Quebec dam be torn down after flood scare?
But some complain the response isn’t fast enough.
“The flooding part has taken an enormous amount of time compared to last time,” Marilyn Basilieres, a homeowner in Terrasse-Vaudreuil told Global News.
And the daughter of one homeowner told reporters from Quebec City that her parents were told that their house wasn’t in a flood zone by local politicians.
Now she’s living a nightmare.
Some residents also worry that even if they get financial compensation, the market value of their homes has diminished and that’s an amount they won’t be able to recover.
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