People whose homes were hardest hit by flooding in Cape Breton on Thanksgiving are being told their cheques will soon be in the mail, but most say they won’t be satisfied until the money is in their pockets.
On Thursday, those most affected were meeting again with CBRM Mayor Cecil Clarke. Many wondering when they will start receiving more money through the province’s disaster financial assistance program.
"Now, we're at a critical point. A lot of people are finding that time has moved on and pressures are mounting, and costs are mounting,” says CBRM Mayor Cecil Clarke.“We're trying to respond jointly with the province so their assistance can flow as fast as possible."
On Thursday, the Nova Scotia government said many property assessments are being finalized and payment is the next step, but it's still unclear when that will happen.
"Once people know what their market value is for their home, what the value of the contents that they lost is for the home, then they can move on to really getting the individual conversations going with EMO, with the provincial government, to figure out what exactly that settlement is going to look like,” says Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan.
The uncertainty is taking a new toll on those who've already been through so much.
"It’s a waiting game,” says flood victim Virginia Merner. "It’s so uncertain. I don't know what's going to happen, and nobody knows.”
There is a gaping hole in the ceiling and furnace oil covering the basement of Merner’s Port Morien home.
Merner’s home is one of the 32 homes given no occupancy notices after the flood. She says she isn't sure whether she'll be able to live there again, or if it will have to be demolished.
On Thursday, Mayor Clarke estimated the total damage from the flood has moved into the tens of millions.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald
