“It precipitated my decision”: tired of Montreal, a geyser victim takes refuge in Abitibi

A victim of the impressive geyser that flooded the streets of downtown Montreal three months ago is so disgusted by the City of Montreal that he preferred to move to Abitibi.

“It precipitated my decision. I’m tired of all this […] If I hadn’t left, I would still be in the hotel after three months and two weeks of camping with my sister,” exasperates Jean-François Latour, 61 years old.

On August 16, his semi-basement apartment on Dorion Street received a meter and a half of water after the break in the 84-inch water main which caused a geyser approximately 25 meters high in the downtown Montreal.

“I was up to my shoulders in water,” says the retired teacher who now works for the Société des establishments de plein air du Québec (SÉPAQ).

On hold

Several other unique works of art that he had accumulated over 20 years in Yukon and Nunavut were damaged. Three months later, his old apartment is still under construction.

His insurance covered part of the damage, but not that to his sculptures and paintings. They would also not have covered the rent increase he would have suffered after the major renovations to his accommodation.

He received no assistance from the Legault government. “It’s not a river overflow, it’s not a sewer backup, it’s not water runoff. It falls between two chairs,” he explains.

And he is still waiting for the City to process his claim request.

“The City has not admitted its responsibility. While she is in negotiations with the company that built the pipe, the company that inspected the pipe, we are waiting,” he gets impatient.

The City of Montreal received 357 complaint files of various types following the pipe break, indicated Hugo Bourgoin, public relations officer at the City of Montreal.

He did not say when those requests would be processed.

Still at the hotel

“155 people, more than 100 households, were still at the hotel on November 19,” said Mr. Bourgouin

This is the case of Irada Bissiau who has been living in a hotel room with her cats for three months.

She was never able to move into her apartment at Esplanade Cartier, scheduled for 1^is September, where electrical cables were damaged by water and need to be replaced.

Initially, the return of the evacuees was planned for 1^is November, but it was postponed to December 2.

“We are still in the dark. The city gives us information at the last minute,” laments the 34-year-old production coordinator.

“I just hope I don’t spend my Christmas vacation in a hotel,” she sighs.