Give us our lives back

Give us our lives back
Dear sir:
I am writing to clarify some issues. First, it seems most people believe flood victims will receive 90 percent funding to cover their losses.
We may receive up to 90 percent based on depreciated value—most items being depreciated between five and eight percent annually—to a maximum depreciation of 50 percent.
Further, the guidelines give a maximum value that should be awarded (new or old). Some examples of maximum values from the 1998 guideline: refrigerator ($600), washer ($175), single bed ($200), desk ($125).
Who can restore a whole house with half the money?
I have heard the adjuster can use some discretion in the decision-making process and choose to award more than the depreciated value, but the guidelines given are not clear on how to make this decision.
Further, there are no guidelines given concerning those people whose homes have been condemned because of structural damage or mold.
Mold, studies show, is a serious health risk. Many of us who were hardest hit have young children while others of us are seniors, and it is for these people that the mold poses the greatest risk.
Please, let our minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Hon. Chris Hodgson, know that we deserve to get our lives back. Ask him to empower the Northwestern Ontario Disaster Relief Committee 2002 to give us a fair and reasonable settlement that we can afford.
Please also encourage him to set up a disaster relief team so that the next time disaster strikes in Ontario, some other small hamlet doesn’t have to wait for answers the way we do.
Thank you for your help, once again.
Sincerely,
Barbara Miller
P.S. Chris Hodgson can be reached at 17th Floor, 777 Bay St., Toronto, Ont., M5G 2E5. His fax number is 1-416-585-6470.