Struggling B.C. flood victims claim Red Cross has cut financial supports
In a matter of moments, decades of memories and belongings were wiped out inside the home of Anastasia Schell.
She and her family were among the thousands of Sumas Prairie residents forced to evacuated their homes during last year's catastrophic floods.
“We lost 35 years together with my husband. Everything from family photos, videos, wedding photos,” Schell said.
Schell says she and her family were bounced around low-end hotels for months before the Red Cross stepped up with legitimate assistance.
She claims the organization said they would provide $1,300 per month for rent for half a year, and another $600 for basic needs.
"I remember sitting there crying because I was so overwhelmed that they were going to do that for us,”
That relief however, didn’t last long.
Schell says after around two months, the Red Cross pulled the plug on financial supports.
"I got a phone call from my caseworker, and he went through the information to verify everything. Then he said, 'Well just to let you know we're not helping anymore,'" Schell recalled.
"It's not fun, it's not easy, it's not fair," she said.
She says there are plenty of others out there going through the same thing.
One of those people is Mary Dyck, who says she was assured of having half of the rent paid for six months, but the support only lasted half of that time.
“It's happening to a lot of families, there's several of us that are in the same boat," Dyck said.
After media attention and inquiries on these claims, the Red Cross sent a statement to CTV News.
“The Red Cross has followed up to ensure people affected by the flooding understand and have access to the supports that are available," it read.
After she spoke to CTV News, Schell says the relief organization called her to apologize for what’s happened, and told they will call back Tuesday to work to restore funding for everyone.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.