‘I would like my normal back’: Flood impacted residents in Greater Sudbury continue to pick up pieces

Rob Pappin says insurance didn't cover the damage caused by the spring flooding in Greater Sudbury that led to the declaration of a state of emergency.

It’s been two months since Rob Pappin and his family had to vacate their Greater Sudbury home due to the severe flooding that hit the area in the spring.

When they were able to return, they found extensive damage.

“A lot of it’s been gutted, just as you can tell, the pile of debris there is all flood-damaged stuff,” Pappin said.

“And so, we’ve just been working hard to try to get back in our house.”

When CTV News visited the Naughton residence in April, water had breached the main floor of the home where he and his family have lived in for 26 years.

“I say to people (that) I would like my normal back -- and this is not normal,” Pappin said.

“I’ve had to throw out lots of family pictures and other family possessions that were of great sentimental value, and that’s difficult to do. But there was just no way to recover them.”

On Wednesday, Pappin’s in-laws, Don and Mary Lisa Barta, were up helping from Indiana.

“We came up and we’re here to help them with the demolition part,” Don Barta said.

“Family is important and we should support each other, regardless what’s happening, you know?”

Pappin said he and his family have largely been relying on family and friends for various types of support.

“Our insurance claim was denied. We don’t have that in our policy,” he said.

“So overland flooding, which is what they determined the cause of the loss was, was not covered under a policy. So, it is what it is. We were left trying to do things all on our own”

Nickel Belt NDP MPP France Gelinas said a number of her constituents were severely impacted by the spring flooding.

“Hundreds of my constituents have been flooded, their home completely destroyed, like in a way that we have never seen before,” she said.

Pappin said he feels largely abandoned by multiple levels of government.

“When it started, the City (of Greater Sudbury) generously opened up the landfills to people who’ve had flood damage to property to get rid of,” he said.

“The only difficulty with that is, while it was generous, we’re a long way away from any landfill that we could bring our dump, to bring our flood damage stuff, too. So, it became not the greatest solution for us.”

Pappin said he would have liked to see the city offer more support for residents in outlying areas.

“I can see how people in Hanmer or Chelmsford, maybe, being close to Azilda, if they had flood damage, if they got a wet basement or something like that,” he said.

Aiming to help uninsured residents

“They’re near landfills that they could be eligible to take their flood-damaged materials there.”

Sudbury CAO Shari Lichterman said a new program was created for those who were uninsured for flood damage.

“This was the best program we felt we could offer for those, in particular, who weren’t insured and are really bearing the cost of this,” Lichterman said.

“One of the challenges, I think, is that the landfill or tipping sites in the outlying areas weren’t necessarily set up for big trucks to come in and be able to dump the materials. And so we had to kind of centralize where they could bring the materials somewhat for their ease, as well.”

Pappin said he is frustrated the province hasn’t activated the Disaster Relief Assistance for Ontarians program, designed to help residents not covered by insurance.

He said provincial officials had surveyed the area weeks ago.

“We haven’t heard anything back. And quite frankly, that’s a little disappointing because clearly we have a lot of damage and it was a disaster,” Pappin said.

“I want them to activate this (program). That’s No 1, because that makes a bunch of money available to us to be able to help us recover. It’s not a renovation budget. It’s more to get the house back livable.”

Pappin said he’s had to replace some appliances, the furnace, hot water tank and air conditioner.

“That program helps us to be able to do that,” he said.

Lichterman said the city has done its part for the disaster relief program and it is now in the hands of the province.

Formal request made May 1

“In my past experience, it does tend to take several weeks at minimum for the province to do its work and to open up that program,” she said.

Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre formally requested that the province activate the program on May 1, moving the city into a recovery phase the same day that the local state of emergency was officially lifted.

In a statement to CTV News, a spokesperson for the Ministry for Municipal Affairs and Housing said it deployed a provincial disaster assessment team on May 25 and May 26 to survey the damage.

But there is no timeline for when the disaster relief program will be finalized.

“The province is finalizing an assessment of the flooding in Greater Sudbury and other parts of northeastern, central and eastern Ontario,” the statement said.

“Once the assessment is finalized, the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program may be activated in areas where there is costly and widespread damage to homes or small businesses.”

When the program is activated, the statement said a news bulletin will be issued and details are posted on its website. At that point, residents will have 120 days to apply for assistance.

The ministry added that affected residents are encouraged to document all damage and retain photos, receipts and records of cleanup and repair costs.

Meanwhile, Pappin said he is hopeful he and his family will be able to move back home in July.

“It’s our home,” he said.

“When you’re not in your home, you feel quite displaced and you feel like you need to get back. So that’s what we’re trying to do.”