Flooding victims decry 'dirty' emergency accommodations provided by city

Flooding victims decry 'dirty' emergency accommodations provided by city

People diplaced by Canada Day deluge encounter stained sheets, mouldy walls at Bells Corners motel

Flood victims worry city accommodations come with health risks

People displaced by flooding caused by last week's Canada Day downpour in Ottawa are speaking out about the "dirty" conditions they've encountered in emergency accommodations provided by the city.

The city says it has placed 93 individuals affected by flooding on July 1 with emergency shelter, including in a motel in Bells Corners.

Among them is Rachel Debeau and her 12-year-old daughter, whose bedrooms and bathroom were flooded when about 25 centimetres of water seeped up from the basement floor of their west Ottawa townhouse.

The Red Cross provided Debeau and her daughter with a place to stay for the first three days. When that ran out, Debeau contacted the city's 311 hotline and was offered shelter at the motel on Robertson Road.

She said their room was in poor condition.

"[We] had no [air conditioning], microwave was dirty, there was mould on the bathroom walls,” Debeau said. "Then I noticed that the sheets were also stained."

Debeau, who works for a non-profit that assists people experiencing homelessness, is now staying with a friend's sister, while her daughter is staying with another friend.

She said her experience has opened her eyes to the conditions facing many of her own clients.

"It kind of shows me why people would prefer to sleep in a place like Minto Park or Dundonald Park," she said. "I have to fight very hard to get a single person into emergency accommodation, only to find out that [the Roberson Road motel is the kind of] accommodation that I'm fighting hard to get them in."

CBC spoke to other flood victims staying at the motel who shared Debeau's concerns about conditions there.

Coun. Riley Brockington, chair of the city's emergency preparedness and protective services committee, said he shares those concerns.

"I want to make sure that ... accommodations people are sent to are sanitary, they're clean, they're welcoming, they're inviting," said Brockington, who added he has spoken to city staff about the complaints.

Coun. Laine Johnson, whose ward includes Bells Corners, said she has heard complaints similar to Debeau's, and noted the city's emergency accommodations are in extremely high demand.

"We have over 750 families staying in these hotels and motels across the city right now," she said. "And so it often becomes a negotiation with property owners to get the property standards up to what is appropriate."

Johnson said the city is working toward improving and expanding its emergency accommodations. In March, council approved the purchase of a former hotel on O'Connor Street for use as transitional housing for families experiencing homelessness.

City says staff conduct regular check-ins

Debeau said shortly after checking into her room, she called the city to ask about transferring to a cleaner unit. She said she has not heard back.

CBC reached out to the Robertson Road motel for comment but did not receive a response.

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In its statement to CBC, the city said it takes such complaints seriously.

"As this is an emergency situation, case workers conduct follow-up outreach within 24 hours of placement and continue regular check-ins to address concerns and coordinate appropriate responses with accommodation providers as needed," it said.

Debeau said it could still be weeks before she and her daughter are able to move back home.

Liam Baker is a journalist for CBC Ottawa. He also reports and produces stories for CBC Windsor, and on Inuit Nunangat for CBC Nunavut. Previously, he's reported for CBC Yukon, CBC Thunder Bay, and CBC Toronto's Enterprise unit. You can reach him at liam.baker@cbc.ca