St. Catharines is under a state of emergency after three storms in two weeks dumped almost 400 millimetres of rain on the city, flooding thousands of homes and leaving residents bracing for more wet weather in the days ahead.
Mayor Mat Siscoe declared the emergency Monday, one day after a weekend storm again overwhelmed streets, sewers and basements across the city. The storms struck July 21, 27 and 28, and some residents have now been flooded three times in two weeks.
"I recognize the exhaustion and the uncertainty, the emotional toll that this is taking on folks in our community and their families," Siscoe told a news conference Tuesday, according to CBC News.
The mayor's own home was flooded in the first round of storms and again on Sunday night, when sewer water shot up through a drain. Siscoe said he has driven through entire neighbourhoods where every house was affected, with driveways piled high with ruined furniture and construction debris.
"There were cars floating down the street," he said, adding that every worker in his office has had their home flooded and most will need basement tear-outs.
Rescues and evacuations
Fire Chief Dave Upper told reporters Tuesday that firefighters carried out a dramatic rescue Sunday after several cars carrying people became stranded in deep floodwater on Ontario Street. Over the two storms, crews were also swamped with calls about short-circuiting electrical systems.
"I've been here for over 30 years now and in my career, I've never seen this happen," Upper said. "We've had flooding we've never seen before in the city."
Hundreds of residents of a Geneva Street highrise were evacuated a week ago when the building lost power and water. They were allowed back Friday night, only to be forced out again on Sunday. The fire department worked with the Red Cross and the City of Niagara Falls to shelter the tenants at the MacBain Community Centre in Niagara Falls.
Calls for provincial and federal help
Siscoe is calling on the Ontario and federal governments to provide immediate assistance and to help communities pay for upgraded stormwater infrastructure. He noted the city has tripled its spending on wastewater infrastructure in recent years, and doubted any city system in Canada could have handled that much rain.
"There has been no disaster relief assistance offered by either the provincial or the federal government," Siscoe said. "The city has been left to fend for itself."
Niagara Centre MPP Jeff Burch has written to Siscoe urging him to work with Niagara Region to extend temporary unlimited garbage pickup — in place until Aug. 14 — to the entire city. Burch also plans to meet with Municipal Affairs Minister Rob Flack to discuss the province's Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program for Niagara.
That program pays up to $250,000 to residents, farmers, small businesses and non-profits for emergency expenses and repairs after natural disasters, though it generally does not cover sewer backup damage except in some low-income cases. A spokesperson for Flack said the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing is assessing storm damage with the city, and provincial emergency officials are reviewing a request for help.
The Town of Lincoln has also declared a state of emergency after flooding there, CBC News reported.
With rain in the forecast for seven consecutive days starting Thursday, Siscoe acknowledged residents are worried about how much more the city's infrastructure can take. "We understand that residents are anxious when rain is forecast," he said. "We recognize that confidence has been shaken."
