When record-breaking rainstorms hit Langford and much of southern British Columbia a year ago, Jeff Morrow watched in horror as his backyard, deck and almost his 30-year-old home were washed away. Millstream Creek.
Today, he is able to walk where there was once only a large hole, and most importantly, his house is still there. But the year-long journey has not come easily and easily, and he believes some changes are needed in the way these disasters are dealt with.
“Canadians cannot buy insurance for any type of landslide, rockslide or avalanche. Canadian insurance companies do not sell policies for such events,” Morrow said. “So so far we’ve been very lucky that we had a line of credit with the bank when this happened and we’ve now made payments totaling almost $350,000 over the past 52 weeks.”
Morrow said he and his wife spent their retirement savings despite the province’s $81,000 through the disaster financial assistance program.
In addition to money, Morrow’s life has also undergone earth-shaking changes. He and his wife lived in a hotel for five months, paid first by Langford’s emergency support services and then by the Canadian Red Cross, until they were able to return home in April.
Most of the property repairs were completed in October, but there is still some landscaping work and installation of a new deck scheduled for spring, which is expected to cost an additional $50,000.
Throughout, Morrow said, he has worked with all levels of government, emergency responders, and contractors hired to save and rebuild his home. Even the environmental studies and permitting process is relatively painless and quick when it comes to work along environmentally sensitive creeks.
But while he wants to share his experience, as an example of what anyone can experience when climate change continues to show the world its ugly head, and the importance of maintaining confidence in a support network that British Columbians can rely on in a disaster , Morrow believes his experience should also underscore the need for changes in covering the financial costs of natural disasters.
“We hope that if the province revisits the disaster financial assistance program, we will be able to reapply for another portion of the funding, although we know it will not be close to 100% of what we have paid out,” the statement said tomorrow. “I really think the federal government needs to be more involved in these kinds of issues in a way. I think the federal government needs to play a bigger role, both in terms of oversight and putting pressure on the Canadian insurance industry to provide coverage for these situations. policy aspects.”
Most of all, Morrow said he is thankful for the support he has received, and that the whole ordeal is now behind him. But every time it rains, he sure as hell looks at his property with bated breath.
@J Samansky
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BC Flood Langford West Shore
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