City of Gatineau says more than 160 buildings at risk of flooding

Rising waters in western Quebec have residents on edge, preparing their homes with sandbags and sump pumps to prevent damage. CTV’s Natalie van Rooy reports.

The City of Gatineau says more buildings than previously forecasted may be at risk of flooding as water levels continue to rise in the Ottawa and Gatineau rivers.

“It is now estimated that approximately 41 streets could be affected by flooding, while 164 buildings are at risk, according to current forecasts,” the city said in the news release, translated from French.

Previous projections estimated that 119 buildings and 33 streets were at risk of by flooding.

“Municipal crews remain fully mobilized and are monitoring the area,” the city said. “In addition, representatives from the fire department are continuing to conduct home visits to properties located in areas likely to be affected.”

Maude Marquis-Bissonnette, the Mayor of Gatineau, says the city expects a water level increase of 30 centimetres in east Gatineau.

“Our teams have gone door to door making sure that people who are directly affected by the water are aware,” Marquis-Bissonnette said.

Marquis-Bissonette says sandbags are available 24/7 at the following locations:

• Parc Louis-Roy (5 rue Louis-Roy, Aylmer)
• Parc du Lac-Beauchamp (745 boul. Maloney-Est, Gatineau)
• Parc Jack-Eyamie (40 rue du Bassin, Masson-Angers)
• Parking lot of Saint-Jean-de-Brébeouf Community Centre (70 rue Moreau, Gatineau)

Ottawa River forecast

A flood warning is in effect along the Ottawa River from Arnprior to Pembroke. From Arnprior to Hawkesbury, a flood watch is in effect.

According to the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board’s latest river conditions forecast, water levels continue to rise along the Ottawa River due to rainfall and snowmelt, though they may begin to stabilize on Monday.

“Over the next two weeks, levels are expected to plateau or slowly decline depending on weather,” the forecast states. “Risk of further increase in levels over coming weeks is higher from Mattawa to Lake Coulonge given the high snowpack remaining in the northern part of the basin.”

Affected areas in Gatineau

The city says eight additional streets are being monitored in the Gatineau sector:

• Highway 50 East access and exit ramps at rue Saint-Louis;
• rue Campeau;
• rue Carmen;
• rue Saint-Denis;
• rue Saint-Paul;
• rue Saint-Sauveur;
• rue Sanscartier;
• ruelle du Como.

On Friday, the City of Gatineau said the following streets are at risk of flooding:

Aylmer sector:

• chemin Fraser;
• L’impasse Claudette-Burke;
• rue Côté;
• rue Dorion;
• rue Lamoureux;
• rue Lloyd;
• rue Madaire;
• rue Pilgrim.

Hull sector:

• promenade du Lac-Leamy.

Gatineau sector:

• rue Adélard;
• rue Blais;
• rue Corriveau;
• rue de Versailles;
• rue des Montgolfières;
• rue du Prince-Albert;
• rue Ernest-Charron;
• rue Glaude;
• rue Jacques-Cartier;
• rue Moreau;
• rue Oscar;
• rue René;
• rue Riviera;
• rue Sabourin;
• rue Saint-François-Xavier;
• rue Saint-Louis;
• rue Saint-Patrice.

Masson-Angers sector:

• chemin du Fer-à-Cheval;
• chemin de la Rive;
• chemin du Quai;
• rue Gabriel-Constantineau.
• rue du Ruisseau;
• rue Victor-Charlebois.

The City of Gatineau website has an interactive map of road closures.

With files from CTV’s Ted Raymond and Natalie van Rooy

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