Residents in Montreal’s flood-stricken Île-Bizard-Sainte-Geneviève borough gathered Wednesday night to discuss ways to avoid future problems.
In a closed meeting, residents proposed several options, including building a dike and installing permanent barriers.
READ MORE: Possible class-action lawsuit against Île-Bizard-Sainte Geneviève borough
One particular sector, Joly Street, was badly flooded in 2017 — and then again this spring, when the area was blocked by water for an entire month.
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Residents blame borough Mayor Normand Marinacci for not allowing them to build a dike on their streets.
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“We’ll have to wait and see. Maybe I’m wrong, but hopefully we’ll find a solution.”
A class-action lawsuit against the borough of Île-Bizard-Sainte-Geneviève and the mayor is in the works.
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“We did the right things at the right place,” Marinacci claimed.
“We’re not perfect. Maybe a pump could break — these things happen.”
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Some residents say they feel abandoned, claiming the borough’s administration has let them down.
“I mean we were kind of on our own,” Joly Street resident Shelley Base said.
They argue the mayor did not do enough to protect them from the flood or provide adequate relief.
WATCH BELOW: Montreal communities still dealing with flooding
Those pushing for the lawsuit say they want someone to be held accountable for what they see as negligence.
“The mayor announced that there would not be enough sandbags for all residents and that it was up to residents to protect their own dwellings,” the document continues.
“With no assistance offered to them in order to protect their homes, they had nothing to do but watch as floodwaters rose around them.”
READ MORE: Data reveals scope, damage of spring floods in Quebec and New Brunswick
The class-action lawsuit estimates that at least 1,000 Île-Bizard-Sainte-Geneviève residents are affected.
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