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
Walmart Canada CEO says retailer not trying to profit from inflation
Walmart Canada is not trying to profit from food inflation, president and CEO Gonzalo Gebara told a parliamentary committee studying the issue Monday evening.

Hockey Canada says 2018 junior players ineligible for international competition
Hockey Canada says players from the 2018 world junior hockey team will not be considered for international competition until an investigation into an alleged sexual assault involving members of the team is complete.
Victims identified as police reveal Nashville school shooter had drawn maps, done surveillance
The suspect in a Nashville school shooting on Monday had drawn a detailed map of the school, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance before killing three students and three adults in the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country growing increasingly unnerved by bloodshed in schools.
Landslide in Ecuador kills at least 16, with dozens missing
A massive landslide swept over an Andean community in central Ecuador, burying dozens of homes, killing at least 16 people and sending rescuers on a frantic search for survivors, authorities said Monday.
How many COVID-19 vaccine doses should you have by now?
Here is a summary of the current COVID-19 vaccination guidelines from NACI, for both children and adults who are at increased risk of serious illness and those who are not.
From silicon to brain cells: How biology may hold the future of computers
As artificial intelligence software and advanced computers revolutionize modern technology, some researchers see a future where computer programmers leap from silicon to organic molecules.
Pope Francis the fashion icon? Detecting AI images reaches 'uncanny valley,' cybersecurity expert warns
After a few altered images of Pope Francis sporting a white puffer jacket convinced the online world the Catholic leader could be a part-time fashion icon, one expert warns the rapid improvement of AI could pose larger societal problems.
Freeland's budget to include grocery rebate for lower income Canadians, here's what else to expect Tuesday
The 2023 federal budget will include a one-time 'grocery rebate' for Canadians with lower incomes who may be struggling with the rising cost of food, CTV News has confirmed.
Indigenous concert in Vancouver cancelled over questions about performer's identity claims
The Vancouver Park Board and Britannia Community Services Centre cancelled an event Sunday that had been advertised as part of an Indigenous concert series in Grandview Park.