UPDATE from FVRD Regional Director, Patti MacAhonic on Financial Disaster Relief, Three Years After the Atmospheric River and Flooding

Chilliwack River Valley (FVRD Regional Director, Area E, Patti MacAhonic) – It is nearing the 3-year anniversary of the 2021 atmospheric rivers flood event and Chilliwack River Valley families have just received crushing news. After almost three years of being told by the province that solutions were being worked on and to be patient, they all recently received the life shattering news that the provincial government is not going to help them in any way and that the answer is final, creating more devastation for these struggling families.

While most of the victims affected by this disaster have already received payment from private homeowners’ insurance or Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA), in the Fraser Valley’s Electoral Area E (Chilliwack River Valley), after almost 3 years there remain six homeowners who still have not been able to move forward and recover. These six homes were either destroyed or deemed unsafe to return. The damage to their properties was not covered under private insurance and they were denied DFA.

Between November 14 and December 2, 2021, southern British Columbia experienced a series of significant rain events, causing extraordinary flooding, mudslides, and debris flow. The impact of these storms was perhaps most severely felt in the Fraser Valley, although there were devastating effects elsewhere in the province, including loss of life, livelihood, and property. After the flood event, one of the engineering reports states, “A large landslide in the (Chilliwack River Valley) is certain, and such a landslide would damage or destroy any structures and kill anyone inside”.

FVRD Regional Director, Patti MacAhonic reports that she has been working closely with the families affected over this time. She shares that, “The constant delays and lack of information, as well as long gaps in any communication from the province, exacerbated the trauma of these folk’s situation and some have experienced health and mental health concerns due to the further stress of this uncertainty,” she said.” Now after the excessively long wait to hear a no it is truly devastating with their financial futures in ruin”.  With the risk of catastrophic landslides attached to their properties, it is unlikely they will be able to sell in the open market at a reasonable price. Many are forced to remain in these homes, knowing the risks. As the rainy season approaches each year, these families are living in fear. Imagine, with every heavy rainfall, going to bed and not knowing if you if you and your family will be buried alive while you sleep. November heavy rains are on their way.

Sue Federspiel, President of the Chilliwack River Valley Residents Association stated that, “Our neighbours having been denied financial assistance from the Province is unconscionable.  We stand behind them to receive financial assistance. The assistance program was created to help people, like our neighbours, after a disaster”.

MacAhonic shared that when she listened to individual stories, “it brought me to tears”. She brought them together as a group to provide peer support as they felt very isolated and then connected them to media to tell their stories. These are salt of the earth, hardworking folks and having them wait this long has created extreme trauma”. There is a path forward to DFA which has been provided to government staff and we in the CRV are hoping that the if the government can make promises on a big scale such as rescinding the carbon tax, they can rescind this decision and do the right and fair thing which is to help these Chilliwack River Valley families with DFA or equivalent financial aid, they have suffered enough.
Their neighbours in the Chilliwack River Valley are rallying to help with a GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-crv-families-denied-disaster-financial-assistance  and a local fundraiser on November 23rd in efforts to help them navigate a way forward.

For more information contact pmacahonic@fvrd.ca<mailto:pmacahonic@fvrd.ca> or suefederspiel@gmail.com<mailto:suefederspiel@gmail.com>