The ones who stayed: Living in Gatineau's flood-ravaged 'ghost sector'
A year after flooding devastated their neighbourhood, Pointe-Gatineau couple struggling to rebuild their lives
For the first time, the Ethiers can see the river from their two-story home in Pointe-Gatineau. The flood-ravaged houses that once stood in the way have all been levelled.
"Practically all the houses are gone," Fern Ethier said. "It's almost a ghost sector."
It never dawned on me that a year later we'd still be in this mess.- Fern Ethier, Pointe-Gatineau resident
To lighten the mood, the Ethiers have started referring to their suddenly isolated property as "Gilligan's Island."
It's been a year since the spring flood of 2017, when the muddy brown water rose and kept rising until Pointe-Gatineau's streets looked more like canals.
Fern and Gaston Ethier remember taking CBC News on a boat tour back in May 2017, when the water was chest-high.
"There was even a car on the next street that was flooded, we could only see the top," Fern recalled. "That was a landmark for the flood. That's how we knew how deep it was."
One year later, the couple guided CBC along the same route to survey the neighbourhood, this time by car.
The roads near their home on Blais Street are dry now, but there are still constant reminders of what happened.
There are those empty lots — as many as 25 homes in this small neighbourhood have been demolished — and many of the houses that remain are propped up so their damaged foundations can be repaired. There are signs of construction on just about every corner.
"It never dawned on me that a year later we'd still be in this mess," Fern Ethier said. "It's unbelievable."
Contractor Marc Lauriault and his father have been kept busy tearing down properties in Pointe-Gatineau. Their company, Robert Lauriault Construction, has another 20 homes lined up for demolition over the next month, and expects to tackle as many as 200 more throughout the region.
They don't want to go through this again.- Marc Lauriault, demolition contractor
The majority of their clients are elderly, and took a government payout for their damaged homes. In some cases they received more in compensation than they would have on the real estate market, Lauriault said.
"It's a new start," Lauriault said. "For them, it's a big lift from their shoulders to be able to get everything done. They don't want to go through this again."
The neighbourhood has been flagged as a high-risk zone for future flooding, but some homeowners, including the Ethiers, have decided to stay right where they are.
Inside the couple's home, behind grey drapes Fern Ethier hung when she could no longer stand to look, are the contents of their basement, saved from the flood.
Boxes are stacked floor to ceiling, taking up must of the living room. There's just enough room left over to sit down and watch TV.
"It's depressing," Fern Ethier said.
At 68, Gaston Ethier has had to start working again, picking up manual labour jobs to earn the extra money the couple needs to rebuild.
Their home sustained $65,000 worth of damage, largely to the basement, which had about a metre of water in it at the height of the flood. The couple received about $17,000 in compensation, about a quarter of the estimated repair bill.
They recently got a call from Quebec's Ministry of Public Security promising more money is on the way, but it's not clear how much, or when.
Gaston Ethier said their file has been passed along to yet another government department.
"There's too much red tape," he said. "It could have been done in a better way. It's a pain. You need lots of patience to get around that."
Gaston Ethier has that, plus a good dose of understanding.
"I don't blame those guys," he shrugged. "It's the system."
What might help, he suggested, are more government officials on the ground in Pointe-Gatineau, working one-on-one with flood victims to sort out their cases.
Despite their arduous year, and the bleak forecast for future flooding in this sector of Gatineau, Fern Ethier said she remains optimistic.
"I'm feeling better because things are getting done."
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