Canadian Underwriter
News

Alberta spends $80 million to buy out homes located on designated floodways


July 25, 2014   by THE CANADIAN PRESS


Print this page Share

CALGARY – The Alberta government says it has spent nearly $80 million to buy 71 homes from people in designated floodways as part of its Floodway Relocation Program.

Those numbers could go up as there are still six weeks remaining until the deadline for homeowners to agree to sell their land to the province.

All 71 homes are still standing and the province has decided they won’t be torn down until environmental and structural assessments of each property are performed.

If an assessment determines a home does not require demolition, a decision will be made to salvage, sell or move the structure.

Some residents who have chosen to stay in designated floodways are concerned the buyouts their neighbours accepted could have a negative impact on the future of their respective communities.

Some say the funding of the buyouts is money which could have been spent on flood mitigation.

“It is a shame,” says Monique Beaumont, who has lived in the Calgary neighbourhood of Roxboro for 18 years. “There’s going to be a house, two empty, a house, three empty…. It doesn’t do anything but waste a lot of money.”

She says she no longer has any idea what her property is worth.

Crime is also becoming a problem in some of those neighbourhoods, with increased break and enters and thefts, and even some cases of squatters taking up residence.

Const. Matt Forest says patrols are being stepped up.

Dallas Huybregts of Alberta Infrastructure says the ultimate plan is to have the properties returned “to their natural landscaped condition” by removing all structures.

However, some residents are questioning the floodway designations assigned to certain neighbourhoods, saying their homes did not sustain irreparable damage during the 2013 flood.


Print this page Share

Have your say:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*