Life in St-Paul’s River, Que., has been forever changed after 14 locals struck gold, winning a $50-million Lotto Max jackpot earlier this month. In a fishing village of just 150 people, the victory means that nearly 10 per cent of the population are now multimillionaires.
For Della Spingle and her husband Chesley Griffin, the news came at 6:40 a.m. with a call from their store cashier — the very store that sold the winning ticket. The couple will share in $3.5 million, and Griffin, as the ticket seller, also pockets an additional $500,000 bonus. “I’ve been giggling ever since,” Spingle said, still in disbelief.
The winners, most of whom have been buying tickets together for nearly 20 years, are already making plans that promise to boost the small community’s economy. Local carpenters are seeing a wave of calls for renovations and upgrades that had been postponed for years.
Bonne-Espérance Mayor Dale Roberts-Keats called the windfall “almost unbelievable” and hopes it leads to new construction and homes in the area. “We’re hoping our community will benefit from this as well,” she said, while advising winners to seek financial planning before spending too quickly.
For some, the win means a long-awaited retirement. At 74, Loretta Griffin says she can finally leave her job at the fish plant after 30 years. Others, like Bradley O’Brien, are focused on helping family members and children living away from home. “Becoming a multimillionaire overnight is going to help a lot of people,” he said.
With excitement spreading through St-Paul’s River, this lottery win isn’t just changing individual lives — it’s transforming the entire town.