Quebec premier says top priority is getting flood victims more compensation

François Legault is considering expanding aid program to help cover sewer backups

Image | François Legault Louiseville flood visit

Caption: Quebec Premier François Legault visited the flood-damaged town of Louiseville, Que., on Thursday. He is seen in the local health authority offices which were also damaged. (Ivanoh Demers/Radio-Canada)

Quebec Premier François Legault says his main priority is getting victims of last week's flooding more financial compensation, and he's considering adjusting some government aid programs to do it.
Legault met with officials in the town of Louiseville, Que., in the Mauricie region Thursday morning, where 250 residents were affected by torrential rain. The heavy rain led to landslides across southern Quebec, widespread road damage and knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of Hydro-Québec clients.
He said his government is now looking into the possibility of expanding government aid programs(external link) to help reimburse people who suffered property damage from sewer backup — something basic insurance policies also do not cover.
UPDATE: Quebec widens scope of tropical storm Debby flooding compensation
"If the sewer backups were exceptionally numerous due to flooding, well, common sense would tell us that we should maybe expand the program. So that's something we're looking at right now," he told reporters.

Image | Flood debris Mauricie

Caption: Nearly a week after torrential rains flooded homes across southern Quebec, residents in the Mauricie region are still clearing out their soaked basements and discarding ruined belongings. (Olivier Croteau/Radio-Canada)

The premier said his top priorities after the flooding were to restore power for about 550,000 Hydro-Québec clients and reopen or repair washed out roads that left homes isolated.
"It was done," he said. "The problem that remains … has to do with financial compensation for people who were flooded."
He clarified that he's not saying the government would cover all sewer backups or pay out the total cost of repairs, but the door is open for providing more help.
According to the latest update from the Quebec government, 86 municipalities in total were affected by the intense storm. In all, 2,300 residences were flooded and about 460 residents evacuated from their homes.
As of Thursday, 12 municipalities were still under states of emergency and 48 roads were still damaged. In addition, 145 homes were still inaccessible, about 200 fewer than the previous day.

'We need hands'

Legault's trip to Louiseville marks his first visit to a flood-stricken community since remnants of tropical storm Debby swept across the province on Friday.
Yvon Deshaies, the mayor of the municipality 160 kilometres southwest of Quebec City, says his residents are still struggling in the aftermath.
"It's terrible what we had in Louiseville — 155 millimetres of water," he told reporters Thursday morning ahead of his meeting with Legault.

Image | QUE Flood Legault Deshaies Louiseville 20240815

Caption: Yvon Deshaies, mayor of Louiseville, Que., left, wanted Premier François Legault to request help from the Canadian Armed Forces Thursday. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

Deshaies said the streets are littered with tossed furniture and debris being removed from flooded homes and basements.
"People are suffering … we need hands," he said.
The mayor wanted Legault to ask for a dozen Canadian Armed Forces soldiers to support people cleaning out their homes, but the premier rejected that request.
"We're capable of finding 10 or 12 people with the help of the surrounding municipalities," he said.
"We don't need the Canadian army for that."
WATCH | How to check if your insurance covers flooding:

Media Video | CBC News: Montreal at 6:00 : Does your home insurance policy cover flooding?

Caption: Franca Glenzer is an assistant professor at HEC Montréal's finance department. She says many basic insurance policies do not include flood coverage.

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