Ottawa

Dozens of Gatineau residents still homeless 3 months after tornadoes

Three months after tornadoes struck Gatineau, 28 families are still without permanent homes.

The Red Cross is helping 28 families who lost their homes

Cleanup efforts in Gatineau's Mont-Bleu neighbourhood in late September 2018. The damage across parts of the city was considerable and many residents have still not been able to find permanent housing. (Lorian Bélanger/Radio-Canada)

Three months after tornadoes struck Gatineau, Que., 28 families are still without permanent homes, according to the Canadian Red Cross.

The agency issued a report Wednesday morning on how people are recovering from the storm.

The Red Cross has helped 550 people since the Sept. 21 tornadoes 

Uninsured families can get between $600 and $800 depending on their size, though the Red Cross currently plans to end those programs in June next year.

Gatineau Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin said there are about 15 families that he expects will have new homes by February.

In the last three months he said 157 people or families have found new places to live.

He said that has had an impact on the city's housing availability, with the vacancy rate now down to 1.2 per cent.