Clarence Creek, Ont. family of 8 forced to live in RV as derecho repairs stall

A family of eight in Clarence Creek is still dealing with the aftermath of the derecho storm that hit the area last May. Andre and Natacha Gamache's home was hit hard by the storm, causing more than $100,000 in damage.

The already extensive damage was then made worse by a big snowstorm just days before Christmas, causing the broken roof to sink into their house.

“It was all caved in so we took the roof off to try to save as much of the house as possible. We called the insurance and they're saying that it’s under investigation,” said Andre.

The family was forced to leave their home due to safety concerns and has been staying in an Airbnb at a cost of $8,000 for one month.

In a statement from Intact Insurance, they said, "At Intact, we are committed to processing and settling claims with fairness, transparency and consistency to help our customers get back on track. We will continue to work directly with our customer on this file."

The family was initially told by their insurance company that when they left the Airbnb, they would be provided with temporary accommodations, but that didn't happen.

"They told us, oh, don't worry, tomorrow we'll have a living arrangement. So, we left the Airbnb and came here. And they said, oh, we can't help you, it's under investigation. So, we went to Stittsville to rent a trailer for a month. That's another $4,000. So, the expenses are just over and beyond at this point," said Andre.

The interior of the RV where the Gamache family is staying. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

The family has six kids aged 6 to 15, and living in an RV is getting a bit tight.

"We're trying to make it like a big adventure with the kids. And that worked for a little while ,but now everybody's kind of getting uncomfortable in the trailer," said Natacha. "We try to make it as positive as possible but at the end of the day they don't have a roof over their house."

Their son Jacob is finding it increasingly difficult. "It has kind of been stressful. Honestly at first it was okay, I was okay with it. But it's kind of getting a lot," he said.

Natacha and Jacob Gamache sort through clothes inside their home. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

The family has run out of funds and is waiting for insurance to figure out what can be done.

"We're gonna be doing this for a while because we need manpower, we need finances, we need something. So, that's where we're at," said Andre.

To help fund the repairs, the family has put puppies up for sale and a GoFundMe page was created in hopes it will help get them back on their feet.

Gamache family puppies for sale. (Dave Charbonneau/CTV News Ottawa)

“I feel like we're like rebuilding from the top to the bottom, you know, and it's just, it's a mess," said Natacha.