Flood victims in Perth Andover gathered at a public meeting on Wednesday night to get more information that will help them decide whether they will take a provincial buyout or have the government pay to flood proof or relocate their homes out of a flood-prone area.

Environment and Local Government Minister Bruce Fitch announced the $8-million flood-mitigation package for the northwestern community on Oct. 2.

Residents in the village's low-lying areas have been given the three options — a buyout, relocation or flood proofing — by the provincial government.

Misty Smith is one of the Perth-Andover residents who is planning to join the flood-mitigation program.

Misty Smith has decided to have her Perth-Andover home relocated out of a flood-prone area. (CBC)

After all the money she has spent to replace floors, walls and doors, Smith said she is certain that she wants her century-old home relocated to an area in the village that is not in danger of flooding.

“If I expect my children or my grandchildren to have anything out of this home, there was no other choice but to move it, so that I do have some resale value and some safety throughout the rest of my life,” she said.

The relocation and flood-proofing measures come in addition to the nearly 200 claims for disaster financial assistance totalling $5 million that the provincial government processed and paid out in the weeks following the March flood.

The massive flood caused a state of emergency to be declared in Perth-Andover. Roughly one-third of the western village’s 1,770 residents were forced to leave their homes during the flood.

The flood level was roughly 1.5 metres higher than the last major flood in 1987.

A total of 83 residential properties were damaged and of those, 11 have been, or will be demolished.

Processing claims

Andre Chenard, a director with the Department of Environment and Local Government, was one of the government officials in Perth-Andover to help residents understand their options.

Chenard and his team are pulling together documents, such as written quotes and signed land deals, for the residents. He said he understands that winter is coming quickly and that some people need to make decisions soon.

“We're very familiar with processing claims and making projects move. So we're hoping that we're able to use those skills to make these projects move as quickly as possible,” he said.

Chenard said the village and flood victim committee will decide who will be at the top of the moving list.

The provincial government also announced a series of other steps to help the community recover from the flood.

The flood mitigation plan includes $360,000 to backfill a low area of River Street and to construct a small levee on Pit Road to protect properties from future damage.

The provincial government will spend $300,000 to update 800 metres of trail to allow emergency vehicles access to the Hotel-Dieu Hospital in Perth-Andover when high water events occur.

In addition, $50,000 has been allocated for ice jam modeling in the area.