Celine Bourassa drags a kayak along a street immersed in flood waters in the town of St-Blaise-sur-Richelieu, Que., Monday, May 30, 2011.Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press
Thousands of volunteers are heading to flood-ravaged areas of Quebec today to help in a massive cleanup.
It's the first of two weekend efforts aimed at helping victims of the floods which damaged thousands of homes and businesses in the area south of Montreal.
A third weekend is being considered.
About 1,000 people were forced to flee their homes after the flooding began in April.
Many people still haven't been able to return home, amid heartbreaking reports of ruined belongings, heavy mould and building rot.
The flooding began when the Richelieu River cascaded over its banks to levels the region hasn't seen in 150 years.
Canadian Forces troops were called in to assist provincial and local authorities with relief efforts - but authorities were criticized for not acting quickly enough.
People also said the army should have stayed to assist with the cleanup, despite Ottawa's reply that it is not the job of soldiers to perform custodial duties.
Continuing rain and high winds maintained the high water levels, which only started to go down with the recent arrival of warm weather.