Communities from Quebec to Manitoba are preparing for potential spring flooding, with officials distributing sandbags to protect homes from rising water and warning about possible evacuations.
Northwest of Montreal in St-Jérôme, Que., officials closed a bridge to traffic because of the rising Rivière du Nord, which snakes through the city of 80,000 residents. They’ve also distributed more than 2,300 sandbags to people who live by the water.
Élisabeth Émond with the St-Jérôme mayor’s office said Thursday that the city is almost certain to see water levels that could cause major flooding. She said officials on Wednesday closed the Viau bridge, because the river had reached the lower part of the span.
“As soon as the floodwater reaches the bridge structure, we are required to close access for safety reasons,” Émond said, adding that reopening would require approval from the province’s Transport Department.
St-Jérôme is among several municipalities across Quebec facing flooding.
Environment Canada said parts of southern Quebec had received up to 40 millimetres of rain since the start to the week, and forecasts are calling for more.
In Ontario, flood warnings were in effect across a large swath of the south by Lake Huron, stretching from Sault Ste. Marie to Peterborough.
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The municipality of Central Manitoulin, located on an island in Lake Huron, was hit particularly hard.
City officials declared a state of emergency and warned residents to use extreme caution when travelling, as multiple roads were closed. A water advisory was also put in place.
Mindemoya Hospital, one of the island’s only hospitals, closed Wednesday after flooding affected its water and sewer services.
In Manitoba, Premier Wab Kinew donned a Toronto Blue Jays hat and a safety vest to pack sandbags and meet volunteers at Peguis First Nation on Thursday. The community north of Winnipeg is dealing with the threat of rising water from the Fisher River.
“It really is a race to try and protect the homes in this community,” Kinew told reporters. “It’s clear that the community has rallied together.”
Kinew also visited operation sites and a home where volunteers were setting up sandbags. He stopped for photos with residents.
Flood preparations there began last week, after the First Nation was warned it could see water levels similar to those in 2022, when roughly 2,000 residents were forced out and hundreds of homes were damaged.
In Quebec, Environment Canada spokesperson Frédérick Boulay said the province’s southern zone — from Gatineau to the Lanaudière region — was forecast to receive 10 to 15 mm of rain on Friday, followed by another 15 to 30 mm between Saturday and Sunday.
Émond said the Rivière du Nord had exceeded the height of the Viau bridge in recent years, “but we aren’t there yet,” noting that spring flooding has become more frequent and is worrying. Émond said no evacuations had been planned as of yet.
Boulay said a combination of snowmelt, rainfall and ice breakup can all contribute to flooding risk, while a river’s shape and slope also play a role in whether waterways overflow.
Flood watches were in effect for several rivers across Quebec, including in the Lanaudière, Outaouais, Laurentians and Quebec City regions, with minor flooding already reported in some areas.
— With files from The Canadian Press’s Steve Lambert in Peguis First Nation and Kathryn Mannie in Toronto
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