'It's hard to move forward when you're grieving': Most B.C. flood victims still waiting for disaster aid

Abbotsford, B.C. -

In the struggle to get financial assistance after November’s devastating floods on Abbotsford’s Sumas Prairie, Jenny Winkelhorst is one of the lucky ones.

Her family has just recently received disaster financial assistance through the province.

“It wasn’t the 80 per cent we were hoping for, but we’ll be OK,” she said.

Getting funding approval puts her in the minority.

According to Emergency Management BC, of the 2,100 applications submitted in the past four months, only about 460 have been approved.

Approximately 40 per cent of applications are awaiting further information from the applicant or another entity to determine eligibility. So far $1.9 millon has been paid out.

Joanne Beaulieu’s home was also flooded, but she says the province lost her application even though it was sent by registered mail.

“I was told my application couldn’t be found anywhere so I had to jump through the hoops, find my copies … and resubmit,” she said.

She is frustrated by the delays.

“It’s terrible. It’s absolutely terrible to leave people’s lives in limbo for that amount of time,” she said.

Many residents are still out of their homes, living in motels or with family and friends.

Rob Souch is one of them.

He and his five-year-old son were forced from their rental during the floods. They initially lived in a loaned RV, but have since been staying at a hotel.

“We’ve adapated. It’s not like we own many things right? Everything was lost,” he said.

CTV News caught up with Souch at the Yarrow Food Hub, which is still open six days a week to help flood victims.

“Without this place, mentally I wouldn’t be where I’m at,” Souch said.

The volunteer-run “Hub” offers donations to those who need them.

“There’s still a cup of coffee if anybody needs a cup of coffee,” said Yarrow Food Hub founder Victoria Kuit.

“There’s cleaning supplies. There’s rebuild supplies.”

She said the Hub is changing as the needs of the hundreds who use it change. For one thing, the Hub is now offering free counselling.

“Everybody is traumatized by what happened,” Kuit said. “With the rains coming back in a couple weeks ago, everybody’s mental health state was falling again and I’m only one person and it was time to bring in the professionals.”

There is now a registered counsellor assisting flood victims, as well as writing workshops to help with healing.

Kuit said local governments have been making it hard on people trying to rebuild.

“Some of these homes were built in the 1930s,” she said. “They’re not up to code. So now they have to be brought up to code.”

Hundreds of people continue to use the Hub each week, and residents are grateful that Kuit continues to keep it up and running.

“If it wasn’t for Victoria, a lot of us wouldn’t be in as good of a position as we are,” said Anastasia Schell, who also has not been able to return to her home.

“(Victoria) has reunited the community, but she’s also been there to provide,” said Schell.

Meanwhile, Winkelhorst is one of those still dealing with trauma from the floods.

“I wake up a lot thinking about all the things that are gone and how long it’s taking,” she said. “It’s hard to move forward when you’re grieving.”