Mayors from the North Shore of Montreal, including Denis Martin of Deux-Montagnes, are raising their voices in frustration over the inadequacy of the Quebec government’s aid program for victims of the recent storm Debby. On August 9th, the storm unleashed torrential rains that resulted in widespread flooding across the region. However, the majority of those affected by the disaster are being left out of the government’s compensation program due to restrictive eligibility criteria.
Premier François Legault had initially suggested that the government would expand its compensation program to accommodate more victims. Yet, the guidelines released last week reveal a different reality: only those whose damages were caused by sewer backups linked to the overflow of natural watercourses will qualify for aid. For cities like Deux-Montagnes, where most flooding occurred due to overwhelmed sewers far from any rivers, this exclusion has been particularly devastating.
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Denis Martin, the mayor of Deux-Montagnes, expressed his disappointment with the government’s approach, stating that the vast majority of the flooding in his city was due to heavy rainfall that turned streets into torrents, causing sewage systems to back up and flood basements.
The Quebec government has justified its stance by pointing out that private insurers typically cover damages from sewer backups. Public Security Minister François Bonnardel emphasized that the government does not intend to replace private insurers and will only consider cases where sewer backups are directly caused by a river overflow. This decision has left many residents, especially those in areas like Deux-Montagnes, struggling to cover the costs of repairs. Denis Martin and other North Shore mayors argue that this narrow definition of eligibility fails to reflect the realities of the disaster.
They, are calling for a reassessment of the government’s disaster relief program. They argue that it must be adapted to the increasing frequency of severe weather events caused by climate change, which are now impacting areas far from traditional flood zones. The current criteria, they say, leave too many people vulnerable and unsupported in the face of such disasters.
Denis Martin and his colleagues are pushing for immediate changes to the program, stressing that the government must act swiftly to address the gaps in aid and provide meaningful support to all victims of storm Debby, regardless of the source of the flooding.
