A Pierrefonds couple that was forced out of their home during last year’s spring floods said they are forced to stay in their son’s house after the Quebec government refused to continue paying for their hotel room.
On Friday morning, Vasiliki Petrisi said she and her husband had to leave the hotel room they’ve called home for almost a year.
“We couldn’t leave, we were sitting in the driveway, in the parking lot, not knowing what was next for us,” she said. “We didn’t want to leave at all.”
Earlier this month, Petrisi told CTV Montreal of the couple’s long and arduous ordeal in dealing with the Quebec government, which had forced the couple to pay out of pocket several expenses involved in rebuilding their home.
Now, Petrisi said the province has paid them the $105,000 balance on their mortgage, which they hope to put towards a new home.
“The payment for the mortgage is not enough to rent an apartment, especially since the only thing we have is our pension,” she said.
According to the Red Cross, 66 families are still receiving emergency housing support, costing an estimated $10 million.
Earlier this month, Public Security Minister Martin Coiteux announced an increase to the flood compensation program from $50 million to $85 million.
While that increase was supposed to come with increased speed for getting money to victims, Petrisi said the government told her it could take at least three more months before they get the rest of the money they’ve been promised, which could be up to $145,000 the couple could put towards a new home.
With rain on the forecast for the coming week elevating the chance of a new flooding threat this year, Petrisi said she hopes nobody has to go through what she’s endured.
“I hope it isn’t going to happen because the money is not there to remain near my children and grandchildren,” she said.
