By Canadian Press

Montreal-area mayors say Quebec government has not delivered on promised flood relief

Aug 23, 2024 | 8:43 AM

MONTREAL — A group of mayors from the Montreal region says the Quebec government has fallen short of its promise to increase financial aid for victims of torrential rain that hit the province earlier this month.

Last week, Quebec Premier François Legault suggested the province would expand its disaster assistance program to include sewer backups, which are typically covered by private insurance.

But this week, the government says only people whose sewers backed up because of flooding from a nearby waterway will be eligible.

The organization of 82 municipalities says the change is meaningless and won’t help many people whose basements flooded when up to 200 millimetres of rain fell on parts of Quebec on Aug. 9.

The group wants the Quebec government to respond to the changing climate and expand the financial aid program to include sewer backups even in homes far from waterways.

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Cutting carbon emissions can be easy and accessible to Kamloops residents

Oct 30, 2024

Question of the Week

Do you have confidence in the vote-counting carried out by Elections BC?

Oct 28, 2024

Week in Review

Week in Review: Week of Oct. 21

Oct 26, 2024

But the government says it doesn’t want the disaster assistance program to replace private insurance.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 23, 2024.

The Canadian Press