Fort Simpson woman still struggling with disaster assistance program

Laverna Martel-Harvey has been working out of a cramped crew house since the devastating flood that swept through the Dehcho region of the Northwest Territories last year.

South Nahanni Airways' new office is being built in Calgary and is still a few months away from arriving in Fort Simpson, N.W.T. 

Martel-Harvey owns the business with her husband Jacques Harvey, as well as Wolverine Air, and Airports North Ltd., which operates the airport on the island. She expected to pay for the new office with funds from the territory's Disaster Assistance Policy (DAP), but it may not be eligible for funding. 

"[Government officials] haven't given me any proper answer as to why," she said. 

It's the latest in a string of frustrations she said she's had with the DAP. 

More pressing is the possibility of having to pay back all $300,000 she received after missing the government's deadline to submit paperwork for her claims.

Overall, 129 residences, 41 small businesses or non-governmental organizations and four community governments made claims. The N.W.T. government estimates the response and recovery for last year's flood to cost about $40 million. 

Originally from Hay River, Martel-Harvey has been in touch with people in the community going through their own recovery. 

"Don't be sitting there thinking that it's all going to be gravy because you're going to be getting [money]" she said. "It's not like that at all." 

Martel-Harvey said her businesses were already struggling due to the pandemic when the biggest flood in 60 years hit. 

They lost several fuel tanks and vehicles, their office was damaged, their airport is still not fully restored, and "the list goes on and on," said Martel-Harvey. 

Assessors determined the couple suffered about $2 million in damages across their three businesses. 

In the spring, their staff usually doubles to about eight people; last year after the flood, there were no additional hires. 

Instead, she and Jacques spent most of their time cleaning up.