Grand River flooding forces Brantford to declare state of emergency

In an emergency notice, the city ordered immediate evacuation of several neighbourhoods and "strongly urged" others in the floodplain to leave.

Thestar.com
Feb. 21, 2018

The City of Brantford has declared a state of emergency over flooding along the Grand River.

The flooding comes amid milder temperatures, rainfall and melting snow.

The Grand River Conservation Authority reported an ice-jam upstream at the Parkhill Dam in Cambridge broke free around 2 a.m. Wednesday morning.

"When this ice-jam released, it sent a surge of water downstream," the conservation authority said.

In Brantford there have also been a number of ice-jams developing and moving downstream. Six Nations and Haldimand County are also seeing water levels rise with run-off.

Early Wednesday morning Brantford ordered three neighbourhoods - Holmedale, Old West Brant and Eagle Place - to evacuate immediately and is strongly urging everyone in the flood plain to leave.

"The City of Brantford has declared a state of emergency due to the ongoing flooding crisis," the city said on Twitter around 10:30 a.m.

"Buses are available to help evacuate at Eagle Avenue and Foster Street, Baldwin and Erie avenues, Erie and Aberdeen avenues."

Those requiring shelter can go to Woodman Community Centre, the city said.

Brantford police went door-to-door to evacuate homes on the following streets: Foster, Cayuga, Aberdeen, Strathcona, Pontiac, Tecumseh, Ontario, Port, Eagle, Robertson, Denver and Baldwin.

The Grand Erie District School board said it was closing Agnes G. Hodge, Bellview, Ecole Dufferin and Princess Elizabeth schools because of potential flooding, along with the Joseph Brant Learning Centre and the Grand Erie Education Centre.

Six Nations is also reporting flooding in low-lying areas near the Grand River.

Six Nations Elected Council said it has called together the community's emergency control group to monitor flooding.