Owners of destroyed Chilliwack properties still waiting for help 2 years after historic flooding

Two years ago, Erv Warkentin went to check on his chickens as historic rains pummelled his Chilliwack Lake Road home and the mountains behind it.

He brought some eggs inside, then heard a loud crash minutes later.

"I went outside to investigate and the hillside had come down, and completely buried my chicken house," he said.

The landslide didn't topple his house but district-appointed engineers later deemed it unsafe to return to, citing a high risk of further landslides. A report shared with CBC News said the slides, which occurred during the historic 2021 atmospheric river event, "were effects of much more widespread and deep-seated slope movement that will lead to a larger landslide in the future."

The Fraser Valley Regional District says at least six property owners in the Chilliwack River valley are in a similar situation, unable to return to their homes, which have effectively been rendered unlivable. They've been denied insurance payouts and have not been provided with provincial Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA).

"They fall through the cracks — they don't qualify for DFA," said Patti MacAhonic, elected district director of the area. "It's two years almost. These people are salt of the earth people. They're taxpayers, they need to have some resolution here."

MacAhonic says some of the homes were destroyed, others are still standing but unsafe to live in. Despite that, some residents continue to live in them because they have nowhere else to go.

"They're right below a slide that could give way at any time," she said. "They don't feel safe, but they don't feel they have any other options, so they're really stressed out living in their homes. Every time it rains, they get really stressed out."

The district is calling for a buyout of the properties. The assessed value of the six properties in 2021 was under $5 million.

District timeline

According to the district, the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR) advised them that DFA funding would not be available to these residents since "no physical damage exists."

In late December 2022, residents had been told that Public Safety Minister and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth agreed to a "non-DFA course of action." 

In early 2023, EMCR sent its own engineering consultants to conduct further assessments of the six properties and make recommendations on whether mitigation works are possible. In May, residents were informed that mitigation works are not feasible.

The district says it has yet to hear further details from the province on how residents might be compensated. Warkentin says it's been two steady years of hope followed by disappointment.

"It's like basically dangling a carrot in front of you all the time," he said.

On Monday, B.C.'s environment and climate change minister said discussions are ongoing.

"I'm aware of these six individuals. We are in conversations with the district, and in addition to that, Minister [Bowinn] Ma and I will have further discussions with our colleagues," said George Heyman.

In a statement, an EMCR spokesperson said some properties with landslide-related damages from the atmospheric river event have received DFA supports. However, it noted DFA does not cover potential future physical damages and losses.

Frustrations mount

Residents Richard Holmes and Mary-Lee Merz were surprised to find out they were denied their application for DFA. Their house is off its foundation because of the slide.

"The B.C. assessment of my property is $1 for the house, $1 for the acre of land, for a total value of $2," he said.

He says he feels like the valley residents have been left behind.

"It's like dealing with a black hole," he added. "A lot of emails are not even acknowledged."