Flood displaces more than 40 vulnerable Ottawa residents
More than 40 Ottawa residents have been forced from their homes and are facing an uncertain future after a flood in their building over the weekend.
A pipe burst at an Ottawa Salus building on Saturday morning during the extreme cold weather, flooding four floors of residences and offices. The building on Scott Street is part of a network of affordable and supportive housing for those dealing with addiction and mental health challenges.
Ottawa Salus’s executive director Mark MacAulay saying the flood has been devastating for the building's 42 residents.
“They really want to come home and have their home and have their belongings and be back there, and that’s something they are not sure of right now," MacAulay said. "So we have to reassure them every day."
The tenants have limited income and many of them receive ODSP. Ottawa Salus is appealing to the community for financial support.
“The biggest thing right now is if people can donate money to help support the transition for them as we have to look at temporary housing," MacAulay said. "We will need to move them to the new housing help pay for them to stay, then move them back here once repairs are complete."
The pipe was part of the sprinkler system on the fourth floor, cracked by ice and flooding almost every space, leaving inches of water in the basement. Ottawa Salus’s property manager says the elevator, floors, walls and ceilings throughout the building will need to be repaired or replaced.
A flood-damaged hallway at Ottawa Salus on Scott Street. (Shaun Vardon/CTV News Ottawa)
Most residents did not have insurance to cover the damage to personal items, so many will be looking for the basics to help rebuild their lives once they can return to their units. Residents will be in limbo for the foreseeable future, as they do not have a timeline for when repair work will start or be finished.
MacAulay says Ottawa Salus started out small with just one house, and now provides homes and support to more than 700 people across the capital.
“We are focused on helping people to be resilient, to rejoin and reconnect with their community,” MacAulay said. “To live the life they want to live in the best possible way."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality alerts issued as wildfire smoke spreads east from Western Canada
Wildfires have led Environment Canada to issue air quality advisories for parts of B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories, as forecasters warn the smoke could drift farther east.
Steal a car, lose your driver's licence under new Ontario proposal
Repeat car thieves may face lengthy license bans under proposed changes to Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
When you have a moment's notice to evacuate, what do you take?
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
LIVE UPDATES Michael Cohen will face a bruising cross-examination by Trump's lawyers at the hush money trial
Donald Trump’s fixer-turned-foe returns to the witness stand Tuesday for a bruising round of questioning from the former president’s lawyers.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
Risks of handcuffing someone facedown long known; people die when police training fails to keep up
For decades, police across the United States have been warned that the common tactic of handcuffing someone facedown could turn deadly if officers pin them on the ground with too much pressure or for too long.
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.
Sunchips, Munchies recalled by Frito Lay Canada for possible salmonella contamination
Frito Lay Canada is recalling two of its most popular snacks due to a possible risk of salmonella contamination.