Saguenay, Que., evacuees promised $20 a day, a place to stay as experts assess if homes can be saved

The City of Saguenay and the Quebec government have put in place new measures to help the 187 residents forced from their homes Sunday due to the threat of more landslides.

A total of 79 residences were evacuated in the La Baie borough of Saguenay, about 240 kilometres north of Quebec City, after one house in the vicinity was destroyed in a landslide last week.

After assessing the risk, the city declared a local state of emergency late Saturday, concluding that another, bigger landslide is inevitable and only a matter of time.

In a meeting with evacuees Monday afternoon, public security officials announced they would be installing cameras, gates and security guards to protect property in the evacuation zone, making sure no one breaks into the empty houses.

They also offered affected temporary housing and some financial assistance — and promised compensation to residents if they can never go back to their homes.

Nicolas Gagnon, who lives with his elderly mother in a duplex he owns in the affected area, said he is grateful for the help with finding a new place to stay.

He asked to be relocated to a ground-floor apartment so his mother won't have to walk up stairs.

"I have to think about my mother's well-being because it's not just a question of a week or two weeks — it's weeks or even months," he said.

The hardest part has been the loss of a routine, Gagnon said. He is looking forward to having a kitchen where he can cook his own meals instead of relying on expensive restaurant food.

Jonathan Ouellette, another evacuee, said people have been very generous, offering him their cottages or RVs.

He said he is grateful the government is offering some help, although he finds the province's daily stipend of $20 somewhat low. Nonetheless, he said he is trying to stay positive.

The average age of people who have been evacuated from their homes is 70, he said.

"Our elders are very close to my heart," said Ouellette. "If they are secured, everything is good for me."

Speaking in Sherbrooke, Que., Premier François Legault expressed his support for the victims and said he is following the situation "hour by hour."