Flood meetings overflow with concerned residents - Action News
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Flood meetings overflow with concerned residents

Meetings about compensation for flood victims were overrun in Gatineau and Constance Bay Wednesday night.

1,000 attend Gatineau meeting, 200 show up to gathering in Constance Bay

Nearly 1,000 people attended a meeting on compensation for flood victims in Gatineau Wednesday night. (Estelle Ct-Sroka/Radio-Canada)

Hundreds of peoplefilled a pair meetings about compensation for flood victims to overflowing in Gatineau and Constance BayWednesday night.

In Gatineau, nearly1,000 people showed up to a meeting held by Quebec's Ministry of Public Safety,about double the number expected. An overflow meeting room had to beset up.

Denis Landry, a director with the ministry, said the location an auditorium atcole polyvalente Nicolas-Gatineauwas chosen by the City of Gatineau, and added that more sessions will be held.

Gatineau Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin said it was clear that organizers were overwhelmed by the participation Wednesday night, and invited anyone dissatisfied with the meeting or the help offered by the province to contact National Assembly member Marc Carrire, who representsthe riding of Chapleau.

The Public Safety Ministryhasopened temporary offices Thursday and Friday atthe GatineauSports Centre on Boulevard de la Gappe,to assist peoplecompletingcompensation forms.

Yann Jodoin said landlords should be covered for income-producing buildings they own, even if they don't claim them as their primary residences. (Matthew Kupfer/CBC)

Gatineau landlord Yann Jodoinsaid he was upset to learn that owners of income-producing buildingsaren't covered by the financial assistance program for actual or imminent disasters if it's not their primary residence.

Jodoin doesn't think ownersshouldn't be covered because they don't actually live there. If he isn't compensated for his income-producing property, he said the bank will come for his actual home, and then he'll have no roof over his head.

He and a group of other Gatineau landlords affected by the flood plan tocall for a change in the rules, he said.

Constance Bay meeting overcapacity

In Constance Bay, the community centre room was overcapacity and at least 200 people attended.

It was standing room only for some, with others standing in a hallway and peering in from a kitchen window.

People asked about whether retaining walls were covered, how the city would deal with sandbag cleanup, disposal and the decontamination of the site, and more.

Information centres

Flooding has affected346 properties on the Ottawaside of the Ottawa River, according to the city.

Four new information centres have been set up for residents in Cumberland, Britannia,Woodlawn, andFitzroyHarbour.The centres will be staffed by city and public health workers, as well as representatives from the Red Cross and Salvation Army, who will be on hand to answer questions and help people access resources.

The locations are:

  • Community Hall at the R.J. Kennedy Arena, 1115 Dunning Rd.
  • Ron KolbusLakeside Centre East Parking Lot, 102 Greenview Ave.
  • Constance and Buckham'sBay Community Centre, 262 Len Purcell Dr.
  • Fitzroy Harbour Community Centre, 100 Clifford Campbell St.

On Thursday and Friday, the centres will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The city saidit will provide a schedule for the weekend and the following week soon.

With files from Estelle Ct-Sroka, Matthew Kupfer