DDO residents still struggling with damages caused by tropical storm Debby

Months after the remnants of tropical storm Debby caused significant flooding across Quebec, many Montreal flood victims are still grappling with damage to their properties.

Debby was named the most costly weather event in Quebec history by the Insurance Bureau of Canada, even surpassing the 1998 ice storm.

In Montreal, the 175 millimetres of rain shattered the previous single-day record of 102.8 millimetres, set in 1996.

It also far exceeded the average quantity of rain for the entire month of August, which is 94.1 millimetres.

Henriette Geerlings from Dollard-des-Ormeaux (DDO) says she’s in an endless loop of making claims to DDO and her insurance company due to damages caused by Debby.

“I feel robbed by Dollard,” said Geerlings. “In all these years that I’ve lived here and all the taxes I’ve paid all these years, I just feel robbed.”

Geerlings is now speaking out on behalf of those in the same situation as her — seeing their claims of tens of thousands of dollars in assistance was rejected.

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“The system failed, the government failed because we don’t live in a flood zone in Dollard, we’re higher up than Pierrefonds,” said Geerlings. “The Quebec government, they already said we’re not turning around and compensating you either.”

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Residents received a lawyer’s letter from the city of DDO rejecting their claims for compensation just days before Christmas.

Geerlings claims herself and others had not received any prior update since the August floods. 

“It’s not only for me, it’s for all my residents in the park,” said Geerling. “I’ve been here 42 years, I know a lot of them. And a lot of them are older and they’ll be taken for a ride.”

Geerlings says she lost priceless family items, childhood items, tools, a fridge, and stovetop.

One of her neighbours told CityNews many in the area suffered.

In response to these claims, the City of Dollard-Des-Ormeaux said in a statement: “The rains of August 9, 2024, presented significant challenges for many, including the City. In fact, it was the worst rainfall episode in the Montreal region over a 24-hour period. There is no recorded precedent of this magnitude. That’s why, under the law the City must apply this is a case of force majeure/superior force. In such case, like any individual placed in a similar position, the City cannot be held liable, as it has committed no fault/the event is of a nature that could not reasonably have been prevented. Again, there has never been such a rainfall in the known past. It is in these circumstances that, like in many municipalities, the municipal infrastructures capacity has been exceeded, regardless of their good maintenance and conformity.”

Geerlings said she received $10,000 from her insurance company, Allstate Canada, though when she asked about recuperating her personal losses, which she is covered for, she says she’s been left in the dark.

CityNews Montreal contacted Allstate Canada, which acknowledged the request but did not immediately provide a statement.

“But that to me, no, show some compassion to the people who lost everything,” said Geerlings.

Geerlings said herself and other community members will be attending a community meeting scheduled for Jan. 14 to discuss what happens next. 

“I’m hoping for myself, like in the spring, we’re gonna start doing what we have to do, renovating and fixing the garage and the garage floors and so on and so forth,” said Geerlings. “But now in January, we can’t do anything.”