An extensive flood strategy for the province of Ontario has been released. Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry and local MPP John Yakabuski says the flooding in 2019 was a difficult time for many of our communities and a reminder that we are vulnerable to these frequent, naturally occurring events.
Yakabuski says the strategy was developed after extensive public consultations were held and with the expert advice of Doug McNeil, Ontario’s Special Advisor on Flooding. The Minister says we know that we can’t prevent flooding and only reduce the impacts when it happens. He adds this strategy will help reduce flood risks and make our province better prepared for flooding events, better equipped to respond to them, and more capable of recovering from them quickly.
Priorities include understanding flood risks, strengthening governance, being more prepared, enhancing flood response and recovery and investing in flood risk reduction. Even with the new flood strategy released, Yakabuski did not promise any new money to address the issue. The report says the province will need to work with the federal government to secure the required funding. Last year the PC government cut conservation authorities funding for flood management in half.
You can read the full 42-page flood report online here.
PRIORITY #1 Understand Flood Risks
To effectively manage the risks posed by flooding, we must understand what the risks are and make decisions on how to manage flood risks, informed by the best science and information available. Understanding flood risk in Ontario is a vital first step in improving the ability of the province to reduce impacts of flooding. This priority seeks to increase municipal and government understanding of flood risk in Ontario. The intended outcome of this priority is to ensure Ontarians, including municipal and provincial agencies, are aware of the flood risks, how these can be mitigated and how risk management decisions are made.
PRIORITY #2 Strengthen Governance of Flood Risks
Flood management responsibilities are carried out by several provincial and local agencies. A key role of the province is to develop policy. Municipalities, along with conservation authorities, where they have been established, implement these policies at a local level. Policies are implemented through a wide array of tools including legislation, regulation and technical guides. Partner agencies, including water power producers and water control boards, also have varying levels of influence in managing water flows and levels. With the number of agencies and tools involved, governance can be confusing, and policies can slip through the cracks. The province acknowledges the need to clarify these roles and responsibilities and ensure policies are being implemented appropriately with all applicable partners. The goal of this priority is to ensure all the agencies involved in flood management work together to minimize the risks of flooding. The intended outcome of this priority is to have consistent application of provincial policy, and to ensure that local development is directed away from areas which present unacceptable risk.
PRIORITY #3 Enhance Flood Preparedness
Flooding will continue to happen in Ontario, no matter the level of preparation for a flood event. By knowing when and where floods are more likely to occur, agencies and Ontarians can be better equipped when it happens. The goal of the priority is to ensure Ontarians have access to current and timely information in order to prepare for flood events. Increased preparedness for future flood events, by having access to up-to-date flood mapping, is the intended outcome of this priority.
PRIORITY #4 Enhance Flood Response and Recovery
Flooding is inevitable even when all planning and early warning measures are executed completely. How the province and municipalities respond to flood events is critical to ensure the safety of people and property and our communities. The goal of this priority is to ensure emergency response and recovery programs are well coordinated and effective in supporting communities and Ontarians in their time of need. Ensuring the people of Ontario receive the support they need to respond to and recover from flood emergencies would be an intended outcome for this priority.
PRIORITY #5 Invest in Flood Risk Reduction
The province acknowledges that, in order to carry out certain activities related to flood risk mitigation, we will need to work with the federal government to secure the required funding. It is also acknowledged that with several agencies involved in flood management, funding should also be shared and opportunities for collaboration explored. The goal of this priority is to ensure financial investments to reduce flood risk are strategic and collaborative. Having flood protection, mitigation works and activities that are well funded would be an intended outcome of this priority.
