Even though the State of Local Emergency at Terra Ridge on Wotzke Drive in Williams Lake was lifted in April 2024, residents continue to feel the after effects.
When it was issued on September 29, 2023, it was due to potential land movement and structural integrity.
Terry Shepherd, Chairman of the Terra Ridge Communications Committee said prior to the Local State of Emergency being lifted insurance for the condominium complex had to be renewed but unfortunately insurance coverage is no longer offered by the domestic market.
“We had to go overseas to find insurance and it’s at a considerable cost like four times what we used to pay. What we’ve been told thus far by the domestic insurance market is that when the slide has stopped permanently they may reconsider. This land movement has been slow and continues to be slow and has been for years. It has been mitigated by some work that the Provincial Government is doing for drainage right now. So we’re hoping that we can go back to our domestic insurance market and show them that it’s under control and is a lesser risk than they originally thought it was.”
In a document supplied by the Terra Ridge Communications Committee it stated Insurance premiums quadrupled from $125,00 to $425,000 annually forcing residents to pay special levies and double strata fees.
It also stated property values plummeted with recent sales falling below market levels and residents on fixed incomes face unsustainable financial strain.
The City’s Chief Administrative Officer Gary Muraca said in September staff and council met with representatives from the Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, and the Premiere, at the Union of BC Municipalities convention to talk about potential help for the residents.
Muraca said the City was then put on to the Rental Potential Fund and have since sent off correspondence to them requesting a meeting.
“The meeting at UBCM happened before there was the Provincial election so things are moving even slower as we didn’t know if there was going to be a change in government and now I think they’re getting their legs back under them, they now know who’s Ministry this is, and I think we should be anticipating a response soon. We did send out a reminder, we didn’t get a response from the initial one that we sent in mid-November yet but like I said we did send them a reminder,” Muraca said.
When the City of Williams Lake declared the State of Local Emergency four units were issued a due to not occupy order out of an abundance of caution as well as an Evacuation Order.
Shepherd said what what they hope to achieve is a better outlook in the community, that we are a warm, vibrant and efficient community that’s a great place to live in.
“The public perception is that the places are falling down, we had a State of Local Emergency gosh that must mean it’s very serious. In actual fact 76 of the units are just fine,” Shepherd said, “but it’s public perception that we’re sliding down the bank and we’re going to end up as lake shore property and that’s not the case. The other units are fine, mine included, so that has driven property values down, people look at it and shy away.”
Shepherd added we would also like to have that do not occupy designation that the City has imposed on those four units removed and to be able to demonstrate to the domestic insurance market that we are a viable enterprise to be insured.
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