Rigaud sounds alarm over flood relief funding as hundreds remain in hotels
City cutting food allowances, moving residents into private school to save aid costs
The city of Rigaud, northwest of Montreal, says it's dismayed the provincial government is not funding the housing of flood victims in the same way it did in 2017.
"If something went well in 2017, it was housing," said Hans Gruenwald Jr., who was joined by officials of other municipalities in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region at a news conference Friday.
When emergency measures began in April, he said the city was under the impression that housing costs would again be managed by Quebec, as they were in the last major flood, and that the province would cover 100 per cent of the cost.
But then they were told that municipalities would have to cover the costs, and they would be reimbursed, he said.
Chantal Lemieux, the city's treasurer, says the government has covered about 75 per cent of the $1 million it has so far cost to house and feed about 400 flood victims — leaving the city to pay the remaining $250,000.
She said the province has not yet promised to extend aid into June.
Rigaud seeks ways to cut aid costs
With hundreds of residents expected to be housed for months, Rigaud, with an annual budget of $14 million, is worried about the mounting costs.
The city is still in emergency-response mode, Lemieux said.
Residents have been staying in hotels, but with tourist season approaching, the supply of nearby rooms is shrinking, and many cannot stay where they are, said Véronique Cunche, who is responsible for co-ordinating aid to Rigaud's flood victims.
Next week, the city will start using 30 rooms in a private high school, Collège Bourget, to house some flooded residents, Cunche said.
She said about half the costs so far have been on food. So to save money, the city is reducing the evacuees' emergency food allowance.
Those who are receiving food aid but not housing will not have their allowances renewed, she said.
"I'm a team player. I like working with the government," said Gruenwald, who said he hopes that the government will decide to fund housing for flood victims in its entirety.
Quebec's Public Security Ministry said it has already allocated $19 million in aid to those affected by flooding across the province.
"We are in constant communication with municipal authorities," Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault said on Twitter.
Rigaud is one of 111 municipalities eligible for aid.