A year after flooding, retired West Island senior evicted from hotel with no place to call home
Vasiliki Petrisi, who’s been been living in a hotel room for a year, still awaits government compensation
Vasiliki Petrisi thought things couldn't get any worse after she was forced from her West Island home due to flooding.
But one year later, Petrisi and her husband are being forced out of the hotel room where they've been living, leaving them homeless.
She says she's feeling hopeless, hurt and abandoned.
"We haven't done anything wrong, so why are they doing that to us? I need their answer, because it hurts," Petrisi said.
It's not the first time the couple was told it had to leave the hotel in Pointe-Claire.
About two weeks ago, the Quebec government was threatening to evict them. But after CBC News covered Petrisi's story and contacted provincial officials, the government decided to extend their stay — until now.
Petrisi and her husband are packing up the belongings they have left and have to leave for good.
CBC contacted Quebec's Public Security Ministry. It refused to comment, stating it can't give details on individual cases.
More than 40 families are still living in hotels today, one year after the water gushed into their homes.
Petrisi is one of the thousands of flood victims who are still waiting for her compensation file to be settled.
As of last month, only one-quarter of all files had been closed.
Earlier this week, the couple received a cheque for $105,000 to pay off the mortgage at the bank, but Petrisi says the government still owes them another $145,000.
"They say we're not going to get it until everything is finalized with the city, with the ministry — getting a permit, demolishing the house, going through and inspection. And it's going to take a minimum of three more months," Petrisi said.
For now, the couple will stay with relatives, but Petrisi is consumed by the thought of having to buy another property.
She already knows that the government cheque she's waiting for won't be enough to make a purchase in her old neighbourhood, or anywhere else in Montreal.
"We cannot buy anything in the city," she said. "We are forced to go above Mirabel.… It's so far away from the children."
With files from Navneet Pall