5 York communities join in major flood mitigation effort with feds
Markham, Vaughan, Aurora, East Gwillimbury and Aurora part of $280-million projects
Yorkregion.ca
March 29, 2019
Tim Kelly
Some 186,000 York Region residents in five communities are expected to benefit from three major flooding and storm mitigation projects announced by the federal government Tuesday.
Francois-Phillipe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, was in Toronto Tuesday morning to announce a $150-million investment in four flooding and storm mitigation projects -- the fourth is in the city of Toronto -- to bolster against the effects of climate change.
For their part, Toronto, Markham, Vaughan and York Region are kicking in a total of $252.7 million to bring the total to just over $400 million for the four projects.
It’s hoped these projects will help communities in East Gwillimbury, Newmarket, Aurora, Markham and Vaughan adapt “to the frequent and intensifying weather event caused by climate change. Reducing the impact of natural disasters such as flooding is critical to keeping Canadian families safe, protecting local businesses and supporting a strong economy.”
The York Durham Sewage System Forcemain Twinning Project will twin the existing 35-year-old main sewage conduit to minimize potential spills, particularly during storms. This will protect the environment, reduce service interruptions, and safeguard the health of over 133,000 residents for the communities of East Gwillimbury, Newmarket and Aurora. That project will cost $120 million.
The City of Markham Flood Control Project will help protect vulnerable areas from flooding, including the Don Mills Employment Lands, and the West Thornhill Community. Past floods have damaged properties, disrupted businesses, affected roads, and even impacted a retirement home in West Thornhill. Families, businesses and seniors will benefit from an improved system to better handle storms, meaning a safer and healthier community for 18,000 residents. That project will come in at $121.6 million.
More than 35,000 people in Vaughan will benefit from stormwater flood mitigation projects that will improve water quality and reduce the impact of flooding. These improvements will preserve essential services for families, reduce costly losses, and save the community money in the long-term. This project will cost $41.5 million.
The Government of Canada is investing over $150 million in these projects through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, with municipal governments providing the remainder.
“Taking real steps now to adapt to climate change reduces the devastating impacts of natural disasters on Ontario families and businesses. By investing today in flood and storm mitigation projects in the GTA, we are minimizing the costly effects of future weather hazards."
“Through Markham’s Flood Control Project, we continue to upgrade existing infrastructure to improve flood resiliency and protect our neighbourhoods against the effects of climate change or extreme rainfall. This investment will increase capacity and reduce potential flood damage in the Don Mills and West Thornhill communities, protecting our most vulnerable homes and businesses, while building strong and resilient communities our residents can feel safe in now, and for future generations,” said Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti.
“In the City of Vaughan, it is our priority to make ongoing investments in the critical infrastructure that helps keep our residents safe, provides protection to our business community and maintains the high quality of life in our neighbourhoods. We are encouraged by these results and by working together with our city-building partners in the federal government, we will continue to deliver positive outcomes for the people of Vaughan,” said Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua.
Construction on all the projects will start within the next two years and finish by 2025.
