- On Sunday, close to 100 mm of record-breaking rain hit St. Catharines, following almost 50 mm on July 27, leading to thousands of homes being flooded.
- Mayor Siscoe reported that the city is exhausting its financial reserves and has appealed to upper levels of government for financial help and the deployment of the Ontario Corps.
- Lincoln's chief administrative officer Michael Kirkopoulos estimated that about 1,500 of the community's 10,000 houses were impacted by flooding, describing the rain as hurricane-level.
- The Provincial Emergency Operations Centre is in contact with municipal officials, coordinating the delivery of cleaning kits and air purifiers to support residents affected by the flooding.
- The federal government is waiting for a formal request from the province before providing assistance, as Ontario and affected municipalities lead the response on the ground.
- Billy Hammond described the trauma of clearing out his flooded home, stating it felt like reliving grief as he disposed of destroyed keepsakes.
- Christine Lines, despite her own home flooding, continued to prepare meals for flood evacuees, expressing her desire to help those facing homelessness.
Flooding in the Niagara Region has led to emergency declarations in St. Catharines and Lincoln, with over 140 millimeters of rain falling in just two storms. St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe reported that the city activated a state of emergency after heavy rains overwhelmed sewer systems, causing significant flooding in homes and businesses.2
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, record-breaking rainfall has hit the area, with close to 100 millimeters recorded on Sunday alone. Mr. Siscoe stated, “I don’t think there’s a single municipality in Ontario that would be able to handle the volume of rain that we’ve gotten in over the course of 10 days.” The flooding has impacted thousands of homes, with Lincoln's chief administrative officer estimating that about 1,500 of the community’s 10,000 houses have been affected.13
Local officials are appealing for government assistance as they exhaust their financial reserves and resources. “We need this garbage out of here because it’s traumatizing to look at,” said resident Billy Hammond, who is dealing with the aftermath of flooding in his home.6
The Ontario government is deploying the Ontario Corps to assist with recovery efforts, while the federal government awaits a formal request for assistance. Julia Facca, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, stated that they are assessing the situation for eligibility under the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program.5
“With close to 100 mm falling Sunday and 50 mm on July 27, Mayor Siscoe said no Ontario municipality could handle that 10-day volume. Lincoln's chief administrative officer Michael Kirkopoulos estimates about 1,500 of 10,000 homes were affected; the province is deploying Ontario Corps while Ottawa awaits a formal request.”
The Globe and Mail
