Mayor Mat Siscoe addresses recent flooding, outlines path forward

Mayor Mat Siscoe has addressed the recent flooding in St. Catharines and a path forward in a statement on Monday.

Siscoe says between July 21 and Aug. 2, much of St. Catharines received over a foot of rain, which overwhelmed the municipal storm water system.

He says since July 21, the city experienced three extraordinary rainfall events that each produced rainfall amounts around what is typically associated with a 100-year storm in parts of the region.

Although the city’s infrastructure was able to deal with the first major storm, the ground had little ability to dry out and recover after the second and third rain events.

Saturated ground and already elevated water levels meant that the other two rain events resulted in widespread flooding across St. Catharines and other parts of northern Niagara.

“While emergency response and recovery remain our immediate priority, we also have a responsibility to ensure our community is better prepared for the future,” Siscoe says.

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He has directed staff to report back to council with recommendations in seven key areas including an independent flood resilience review by engineers and infrastructure experts and a review of storm water maintenance practices.

Also included in the seven key areas is arranging a third city-wide week of “take all” curbside waste collection for flood-affected households, with the option of extending it for a fourth week if needed.

“Our residents don’t expect us to control the weather. They do expect us to learn from it, prepare for it and fight for the investments needed to protect our community. That’s exactly what this direction is designed to do,” Siscoe says.

“While this work is absolutely necessary, it is only the beginning of our community’s recovery. Families are still cleaning up, businesses are still recovering and many residents continue to face significant financial and emotional challenges,” he says.

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