A resident uses a kayak to make their way through flooding in the Gatineau region of Quebec, Thursday, May 4, 2023. Three times more homes across the province could be considered at risk of flooding when Quebec’s new maps are completed in the fall of 2025. The provincial government's draft regulations for flood zones was unveiled on Tuesday and are getting mixed reviews.
The flood management plan, released Tuesday, will govern public flood prevention infrastructures and also widen the category for a flood zone. Around 55,000 additional homes could now end up in a flood-risk zone.Quebec Environment Minister Benoît Charette told reporters Tuesday that the exact number will be known once most of the updated flood zone maps are available by fall 2025.
“To ensure the accessibility and integrity of the consultations, we also ask the government to extend the process by 90 days beyond the summer period and to actively participate in discussions with citizens,” the statement reads in part.Île-Bizard and Sainte-Geneviève have particular problems that are similar but some ways different,” he noted, stressing that the government needs to understand the unique needs in various communities.