Rigaud: their house will be demolished despite the building permit they have in hand

Charel Traversy

Saturday, December 9, 2017 18:48

UPDATE
Saturday, December 9, 2017 18:48

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“It is awful. We missed a year of our lives. I do not wish anyone to experience it,” said Saturday, Francine Lespérance, of Rigaud, in Montérégie, a disaster of historic floods that have hit Quebec last spring.

In the home shared by Ms. Lespérance with her husband Yvon Mathieu, boxes are stacked up to the ceiling. Nothing has changed since seven months. Unable to live in her home since the floods of last spring, the couple had hopes to return to his home in time for the Holidays.

“It is as unthinkable to destroy a house, especially when we have a permit [construction],” said Yvon Mathieu.

They had received the green light this summer to renovate their home after being beaten for correcting a first report riddled with errors.

“It is as if we had water on the first floor. We had been assigned only at the level of the sub-floor and the outside terrace”, said Mr. Mathieu.

In October, the City of Rigaud has finally granted a construction permit in good and due form. But, coup de theatre, a few weeks ago, the department of public Safety has changed his mind and sent a new report. This time, there is no longer state of 47 % of damage to the house, but of 50,46 %, more than four-tenths above the standard established by the government of Quebec.

Result: the couple must demolish her residence and to accept the severance pay of approximately $ 155,000, which means that no property can be reconstructed on the ground.

“They want to sign the allocation of departure, said Mr. Mathieu. But we, we don’t want to leave, report that we have our permits and the City of Rigaud is behind us, saying that the permit is valid.”

Starting December 17, the department will end the support that the couple receives the canadian red Cross. Yvon Mathieu and his wife have sent a challenge to the last report of assessment of damages.

“We want to end our days here, for sure. They will not, our house,” said Lespérance.

The couple has an appointment next Thursday with the chief to the operations of the department of public Safety to discuss his case. Yvon Mathieu and Francine Lesperance hope that the ministry will reverse the decision.