Two properties in British Columbia's Chilliwack River Valley, whose values were reduced to a symbolic two dollars due to extreme landslide risk, have been hit with fresh evacuation orders. The orders, issued by the Fraser Valley Regional District late last week and still in effect, cite an imminent life-safety threat from slope instability, a danger heightened by recent Pacific storms.
Properties Deemed Uninhabitable After Atmospheric River
The core of this ongoing crisis stems from the catastrophic atmospheric river storms in 2021. The resulting slope instability above the homes on Chilliwack Lake Road rendered the properties unsafe for habitation. While the homes themselves were not physically damaged by initial small landslides—a technicality that has blocked provincial disaster aid—the risk was deemed severe enough for the B.C. Property Assessment Authority to slash their values to just $2.
Homeowners Chris Rampersad and Erv Warkentin have been living in limbo ever since. They have not resided on the properties due to the known danger, which makes the latest evacuation order confusing and frustrating for them. "What's with all the panic now and putting in an evacuation order?" Rampersad asked. "The people that own (the properties), we already know the risk."
Homeowners in Limbo, Questioning Order's Purpose
The evacuation directive, triggered by a landslide on Rampersad's property on December 19 following heavy rains, has left the owners wondering about its practical intent. They question whether the order is for public safety, to protect the adjacent Chilliwack Lake Road, or for governmental liability purposes.
In response, Fraser Valley Regional District officials clarified the order is strictly due to a direct life-safety risk to anyone on the properties. "There is no imminent threat to Chilliwack Lake Road," stated Samantha Piper, the district's communications manager, via email. She noted the slope instability is currently confined to the two lots but that monitoring continues due to saturated soil from the recent weather event.
Federal Rule Change Offers Glimmer of Hope
The homeowners' plight underscores a significant gap in disaster response. The Province of B.C. has maintained its position that because the structures were not damaged, the owners are ineligible for its disaster financial assistance or a buyout.
However, a potential avenue for help emerged earlier this year. The federal government changed its funding rules for disaster assistance. It can now, under specific conditions in major disasters, provide aid for a home that is undamaged but unsafe to live in due to increased landslide risk. Any such federal funding would be channeled through the provincial government.
For Rampersad and Warkentin, this bureaucratic nuance means they are left unsure what the latest landslide and evacuation order mean for their long-shot hopes of receiving any government assistance. Their situation remains a stark example of the complex and lasting human toll from climate-driven extreme weather events.
