The July 16, 2024 weather event saw Mississauga receive a month’s worth of rain in just over the course of six hours – which exceeded the 100-year storm event.
Follow this page for updates on recovery and restoration efforts that may be applicable to your situation.
Last updated: Wednesday, August 14 at 5 pm
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Councillor Email to Impacted Residents — Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 4:55 pm
Hello from Councillor McFadden’s Ward 10 Office.
What follows is our seventh email update sent directly to those who have reported flooding to our office since Tuesday, July 16. If this is your first email since being added to the group, you can read what was sent previously on the dedicated page posted on Councillor McFadden’s website here: https://www.mississaugaward10.ca/flood-july-16-2024/
If you haven’t already done so, please also sign up for Sue’s eNews so you stay informed: https://www.mississaugaward10.ca/
EMAIL UPDATE #7 to Flood-Impacted Residents
This update includes information about:
- Waste Collection
- On Street Parking Extension
- Back Water Valve Application Details
- Questionnaire
REPORTING FLOODING
As of 2:30 pm Wednesday, Aug. 14, we have 427 property owners in Ward 10 reporting flooding from the July 16 storm. If you are speaking with your neighbours who were flooded and become aware that they haven’t reported their situation to the City, please encourage them to email us at sue.mcfadden@mississauga.ca. If you or they are wondering why we’re collecting this data, please Read more here.
WASTE COLLECTION
Peel Region’s contractor has crews available to pick up flood-related waste from impacted properties again this week. Please note that, for flood-related waste collection, you must be on Peel’s list in order to receive this special service. To get on the list, schedule your collection in advance by calling the Peel Region Customer Contact Centre at 905-791-9499. My understanding now is they will call you back to set a specific day for collection. There will likely be more opportunities for curbside collection as needed. Just call the number above to make arrangements when you are ready to have your waste picked up.
ON STREET PARKING EXTENSION
If you have a waste bin in your driveway or contents in your garage such that you do not have space to park your vehicles as a result of a flooded basement, you can apply for a one-month on-street parking permit. Normally there is a charge for this, but it is being waived for flood-impacted households. To apply for the first time, call 311 to request approval for a one-month on-street parking permit. Be sure to indicate that you were impacted by the July 16 flood to have the fee waived and to expedite the request. For more information visit: https://www.mississauga.ca/services-and-programs/transportation-and-streets/parking/extended-paid-parking-permits/
If one month isn’t long enough, you can request an extension at least three days before the existing one-month permit runs out to avoid going through the entire approval process again. Following are the details from the City’s Parking Control office for extensions only:
- Residents requiring permit extensions for renovations due to flooding can request them from Parking Enforcement by emailing enforcement.parking@mississauga.ca. Requests should include the resident’s name, municipal address, active permit number, reason for the extension, and the new end date.
- Requests must be submitted at least three (3) business days before the permit expiry date to allow for processing time. Please note that if the permit has expired, the end date cannot be changed, and a new permit will be required.
BACK WATER VALVE DETAILS
Several residents interested in getting a back water valve installed in their basement wrote to us with questions about the process. A permit from the City of Mississauga is required in order to have the device properly constructed in according with the Ontario Building Code and to be eligible for the Region of Peel’s $700 rebate.
The Mississauga building permit application process begins here: https://www.mississauga.ca/services-and-programs/building-and-renovating/building-permits/building-permit-application-process/ It is admittedly complex and we are working with staff to streamline the process for backwater valve permits.
There is a fee associated with this building permit for a backwater valve. Councillor McFadden is considering a motion for Council to waive this fee for flood-impacted residents and that it would be retroactive to July 16, 2024 to capture anyone who may have already paid it (or will have paid it before any change might come into effect). The Councillor is also considering a motion to increase the amount of the backwater valve rebate (again, retroactive to July 16). More to come on that once Council meetings reconvene in September.
There are several eligibility criteria to meet in order to be approved for the Region’s subsidy, including but not limited to the property having suffered flooding as a result of a rainfall event, having not received a previous rebate under this program, having a building permit and sign off from a municipal building inspector, and providing an “experience letter” from your insurance company. However, if you were flooded but did not submit a claim to your insurance (or even if you were not flooded) and therefore do not have the supporting evidence required under the rebate program, you could still be eligible for the subsidy from the Region if you wanted to install a back water valve. In any case, please call the number 905-791-7800 x4409 on the application form to speak to a customer service representative directly before you pay to have the work done.
As an aside, a building permit is NOT required for the installation of a sump pump. It is optional. If you wanted an inspection by a city official to ensure the installation is done properly, you have the option to apply for a building permit at a nominal fee and that would trigger an inspection of the work following installation. Use the same link above for the City’s building application permit process.
QUESTIONNAIRE
In our last update, we provided a link to a questionnaire that will enable us to gather important data about the July 16 storm to better understand the storm’s impact, and for future advocacy. So far we’ve received 316 responses. Thanks for taking the time to fill this out; if you haven’t yet – there’s still time to do so.
Access the questionnaire here:
https://forms.gle/F5SRG8NnHPifQuyt9
Our office continues to communicate with City staff regarding specific areas of concern related to the operation of the stormwater system during and following the July 16 weather event. They are gathering data, reviewing the concerns we have brought forward and developing an action plan over the course of the next several weeks in preparation for a city-wide education session as well as a local Ward 10 community meeting next month.
Best regards,
David Raakman
Executive Assistant to
Councillor Sue McFadden
Mississauga Ward 10
Councillor Email to Impacted Residents — Tuesday, Aug. 6 at 1:55 pm
Greetings from Councillor McFadden’s office.
Below is our sixth email update sent directly to those who have reported flooding to our office since Tuesday, July 16. If this is your first email since being added to the group, you can read what was sent previously on the dedicated page posted on Councillor McFadden’s website here: https://www.mississaugaward10.ca/flood-july-16-2024/
If you haven’t already done so, please also sign up for Sue’s eNews so you stay informed: https://www.mississaugaward10.ca/
EMAIL UPDATE #6 to Flood-Impacted Residents
This update includes information about:
- Waste Collection
- Questionnaire
REPORTING FLOODING
As of 1:30 pm Tuesday, Aug. 6, we have 394 property owners in Ward 10 reporting flooding from the July 16 storm. We recognize there still more out there who haven’t reached out to us yet. If you are speaking with your neighbours and become aware that they haven’t reported their flooding to the City, please encourage them to email us at sue.mcfadden@mississauga.ca. If you or they are wondering why we’re collecting this data, please Read more here.
WASTE COLLECTION
Peel Region’s contractor has crews available to pick up flood-related waste from impacted properties again on Saturday, August 10. [The one-day delay this week is due to the Civic holiday on Monday and general waste collection being a day later for all households.]
Please note that, for flood-related waste collection, you must be on Peel’s list in order to receive this special service. To get on the list, schedule your collection in advance by calling the Peel Region Customer Contact Centre at 905-791-9499. There is more waste than there are resources to collect it. Any waste not collected this week will be picked up at the end of the following week. Leave your waste at the curb.
There will likely be more pick-up dates after this one for those who still have to remove their waste from their homes or have a subsequent phase of clean-up still coming. They will typically occur on Fridays in August. Please call the number in bold above to schedule your pick-up a few days in advance.
QUESTIONNAIRE
Our team has prepared a short questionnaire asking about details to do specifically with your experience of flooding during and following the July 16 rainstorm. By collecting this data, we can demonstrate the need to prioritize additional stormwater infrastructure investments in and around Ward 10 to better protect public and private properties and the well-being and quality of life for our entire community. It will also serve to inform what investments would be most effective to mitigate potential future flooding in our geographic area.
It should take only 5 to 10 minutes to complete the survey and your personal contact information will remain strictly confidential. Thank you for taking the time to provide this important feedback.
Access the questionnaire here:
https://forms.gle/F5SRG8NnHPifQuyt9
QUICK LINKS
File A Claim with the City: http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/residents/fileaclaim
File A Claim with the Region: https://peelregion.ca/services/your-peel/damage-claim/
Sump Pump Subsidy with the City: https://www.mississauga.ca/services-and-programs/home-and-yard/stormwater/foundation-drain-collector-sump-pump-subsidy/
Backwater Valve Subsidy with the Region: https://www.peelregion.ca/wastewater/backwater-valve-rebate.asp
All the best as you continue to work through the clean-up from this natural disaster and as we look ahead to longer-term solutions for the community.
On behalf of Councillor McFadden,
David Raakman
EA, Ward 10
Councillor Email to Impacted Residents — Wednesday, July 31 at 1:05 pm
Hello from Councillor McFadden’s office.
Below is our fifth email update sent directly to those who have reported flooding to our office since Tuesday, July 16. If this is your first email since being added to the group, you can read what was sent previously on the dedicated page posted on Councillor McFadden’s website here: https://www.mississaugaward10.ca/flood-july-16-2024/
If you haven’t already done so, please also sign up for Sue’s eNews so you stay informed: https://www.mississaugaward10.ca/
EMAIL UPDATE #5 to Flood-Impacted Residents
This update includes information about:
- Council Meeting / Motion
- Community Meeting
- Waste Collection
- Licenced Plumbers
- Sump Pumps and Backwater Valves
REPORTING FLOODING
As of 12:30 pm Wednesday, July 31, we have 379 property owners in Ward 10 reporting flooding from the July 16 storm. We recognize there are more out there who haven’t reached out to us yet. If you are speaking with your neighbours and become aware that they haven’t reported their flooding to the City, please encourage them to email us at sue.mcfadden@mississauga.ca. If you or they are wondering why we’re collecting this data, please Read more here.
WEDNESDAY’S COUNCIL MEETING
Councillor McFadden spoke at today’s (July 31) Council meeting about the impact of the July 16 natural disaster that affected hundreds of Ward 10 residents. She asked staff for an update on a request for emergency funding from upper levels of government; she gave notice that she intends to present a motion to establish a grant for to eligible property owners to assist with flood-related expenses; and expressed her appreciation to staff – emergency first responders during the storm, those who provided additional services in the days and weeks following, as well as those who manage the investments into the City’s stormwater system.
Councillor McFadden also was the seconder to Councillor Fonseca’s motion today (Flood Mitigation Motion) regarding action to be taken by the City in the aftermath of the July 16 storm. It passed unanimously.
COMMUNITY MEETING
Councillor McFadden is making plans to host a community meeting bringing together key staff and stakeholders with Ward 10 residents to share information about the July 16 flood event and its local impact, to provide some early analysis, to answer questions and to discuss stormwater infrastructure investments in our ward. We are aiming for this meeting to be held in September or early October, giving time for staff to assess and evaluate the current situation and address many of the items we have already brought forward to them. Watch for more details as they are confirmed.
WASTE COLLECTION
Peel Region’s contractor has crews available to pick up flood-related waste from impacted properties again on Friday, August 2. Please note that they do not go street by street to pick up waste; you must be on their list in order to receive this special service. To get on the list, schedule your collection in advance by calling the Peel Region Customer Contact Centre at 905-791-9499.
Sadly, there is more waste than there are resources to collect it. Because the contractor is only available on Fridays (normally a day off, as they typically work four 10-hour shifts per week), any waste not collected will be picked up at the end of the following week. Leave your waste at the curb. Also, be aware that they can’t simply pick up flood waste with regular garbage collection because they use different trucks/equipment for each.
There will likely be another pick-up date after this one for those who still have to remove their waste from their homes or have a subsequent phase of clean-up still coming. Watch for more updates on this next week.
Always make sure you have checked with your insurance first before scheduling the waste pick up to ensure whatever contents you are throwing out have been identified and counted toward your loss.
LICENCED PLUMBERS
Several residents have been asking for recommendations for plumbers who are licenced by the City of Mississauga (a requirement for the subsidy) to call for a quote for installation of a sump pump and/or backwater valve. While the Councillor cannot recommend any individual or company, we are able to supply the entire list of licenced plumbers (attached here) so you can choose from one of them. Note that this list is current as of July 24, 2024; if your work is not scheduled imminently, you’ll want to confirm with them or the City that they are still licenced in Mississauga.
FLOOD MITIGATION DEVICES
Many residents are interested in mitigating basement flooding for potential future storm events by installing one or more flood prevention devices. Of course, nothing is 100% fool proof – as those of you with these devices who were still flooded can attest – but they do minimize the damage for significant storm events like the one we experienced on July 16. The two most popular devices for installation in residential properties are the sump pump and the backwater valve. How do these work? And what is involved in installation? I have sourced a couple of YouTube videos that may be of interest to you. Please note that we are not endorsing any products or companies here, nor are we encouraging anyone to do this work themselves. These videos are simply meant to give residents an idea what to expect when the professional you hire comes in to do this work.
Sump Pump: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nBqjqCLbj0
Backwater Valve: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGGoRb4kBX4
A few of you have asked for the two subsidies to be combined into one subsidy for both products. This isn’t possible because the Sump Pump addresses stormwater related issues (the City) and a Backwater Valve is attached to the sanitary sewer to prevent sewage back-ups, and is under the purview of the Region of Peel.
A permit is optional to have a sump pump installed in your home here in Mississauga. If you wish to obtain a permit, you can do so through City Hall; start by calling 311. The cost is $160 (eligible for coverage under the subsidy if within the $6,000 maximum). The benefit of doing so is that a city building inspector will visit your home for an inspection to ensure proper installation.
QUICK LINKS
File A Claim with the City: http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/residents/fileaclaim
File A Claim with the Region: https://peelregion.ca/services/your-peel/damage-claim/
Sump Pump Subsidy with the City: https://www.mississauga.ca/services-and-programs/home-and-yard/stormwater/foundation-drain-collector-sump-pump-subsidy/
Backwater Valve Subsidy with the Region: https://www.peelregion.ca/wastewater/backwater-valve-rebate.asp
With how busy and overwhelmed the local insurance and restoration industries are as a result of thousands of claims all at once, some of you are still waiting for your insurance estimate and/or the removal of your damaged contents, flooring, drywall, etc. I’m in that situation too and can empathize with you that these 2+ weeks feels like an eternity. I was blessed to have a group of teenagers drop in one day to help me remove my flooring so at least the basement doesn’t smell as bad anymore. Hang in there. By and large, adjustors and estimators are doing the best they can under great pressure and certainly appreciate your patience and understanding especially recognizing these are such frustrating and stressful circumstances. If you feel your health is at risk because of mould or other air quality concerns, feel free to reach out to your family doctor or a Public Health professional at Peel Health to discuss your concerns and any action deemed appropriate.
All the best as we continue to weather the effects of this storm.
On behalf of Councillor McFadden,
David Raakman
EA, Ward 10
Councillor Email to Impacted Residents — Friday, July 26 at 11:50 am
Hello from Councillor McFadden’s office.
Below is our fourth email update sent directly to those who have reported flooding to our office since Tuesday, July 16. If this is your first email since being added to the group, you can read what was sent previously on the dedicated page posted on Councillor McFadden’s website here: https://www.mississaugaward10.ca/flood-july-16-2024/
If you haven’t already done so, please also sign up for Sue’s eNews so you stay informed: https://www.mississaugaward10.ca/
EMAIL UPDATE #4 to Flood-Impacted Residents
This update includes information about:
- Waste Collection
- Filing A Claim
- Motion for Council’s Consideration
- Meeting with Staff
REPORTING FLOODING
As of 9:30 am Friday, July 26, we have 306 property owners in Ward 10 reporting flooding from the July 16 storm. If you are speaking with your neighbours and become aware that they haven’t reported their flooding to the City, please encourage them to email us at sue.mcfadden@mississauga.ca. If you or they are wondering why, please Read more here.
WASTE COLLECTION
Peel Region’s contractor Emterra is out in our community today picking up flood-related waste from impacted properties. There will be another scheduled pick-up after this one for those who still have to remove their waste from their homes or have a second phase of clean-up still coming. It likely won’t be until next week Friday at the earliest. Watch for more updates on this next week.
FILING A CLAIM
There’s been a lot of misinformation flying around on social media about urgently filing a claim with the City of Mississauga for damages. This has been exacerbated by communications from elected officials from other levels of government who have no jurisdiction in this area. This is unfortunate and I hope to set the record straight. There is no 10-day deadline by which a property owner must file a claim for flood-related damage or loss. Claims can be filed within a “reasonable amount of time” and no later than 2 years from the date of incident.
Furthermore, while every property owner is within their right to file a claim for damages against the City and/or Region, to temper expectations, please be advised that consideration for making any payment by the municipality must be based on legal liability arising out of negligence.
All claims filed against the City are thoroughly investigated by the Insurance & Risk Management Section of Legal Services. You are asked to contact the Risk Management area directly at risk.management@mississauga.ca, or by phone at 905-615-3200 ext. 3922, or you may file your claim details online at http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/residents/fileaclaim.
Please note that all claims are required to be made in writing and cannot be initiated over the phone. A claim form must be completed if any form of compensation from the City is being requested. If you prefer to submit your claim details by regular mail or fax, please forward to:
City of Mississauga
Risk Management Office
300 City Centre Drive,
Mississauga, Ontario L5B 3C1
Fax: (905) 896-5267
The Region of Peel has its own separate claims process. Details are available here: https://peelregion.ca/services/your-peel/damage-claim/
MOTION FOR COUNCIL’S CONSIDERATION
Councillor McFadden will be the seconder on Ward 3 Councillor Chris Fonseca’s motion related to the July 16 storm and flooding to be considered by Mississauga Council at its meeting on Wednesday, July 31. The motion (linked here) speaks to stakeholders reviewing and reporting on the impact of the storm, strategizing effective mitigation measures for potential future weather incidents, advocating to higher levels of government for stormwater funding, and holding an education session for the public on this storm, the City’s investments in stormwater infrastructure and related flood prevention information.
MEETING WITH STAFF
Yesterday, our Ward 10 team met with City staff in the Works department to discuss the impact of the July 16 storm in our community and we put forward a series of questions for their response and/or review.
In terms of operations, staff confirmed that the Automated Pumping Station at the Cactus Gate parkette was operational throughout the storm and in the hours following. It worked as intended, and pumped more than 2 million litres of water out of the FDC on July 16. Staff also confirmed that the High Water Protocol was invoked and crews were at the three locations by 9 am on Tuesday. Pumps are activated once the level in the FDC trunk sewer reached 50% capacity, as per standard operating procedure. The timings of pump activation for the three locations were:
| Location | Pump # | Activated | Deactivated |
| Black Walnut | 1950 | 9:36am | 4:09pm |
| Pintail | 1951 | 9:57am | 6:37pm |
| Osprey | 1052 | 9:46am | 8:36pm |
The pump at Pintail was removed around noon as it became unsafe for the contractor’s crew to remain on site. The pump was reactivated at around 2:30 p.m. after the water had receded enough for the crew to safely return. The volume of water we received over a short period overwhelmed the system; as such, stormwater entered the surcharging FDC system and overloaded sanitary system through maintenance holes at the surface.
We posed several questions to staff about the outlet flow of water from Osprey Marsh to the west side of Ninth Line. Staff advised that the developer of the lands at this location – Mattamy Homes – was issued a permit for site alteration that included works at the southerly portion of their property, on the opposite side of Osprey Marsh. Included in the permit was permission from Conservation Halton to modify the size of the channel that controls the flow of water from Osprey Marsh. In order to do this work, a temporary diversion channel was constructed to allow the flow of water to continue during construction. Sand bags were installed within the channel itself to re-direct low flows into the diversion channel, but to allow larger flows to overtop into the existing channel. In addition, staff advised us that the developer has added temporary pumps along the diversion channel as a back-up measure to manage the water levels in the channel and the Marsh. We have asked staff to investigate further and come back with their technical assessment on the operation of the diversion channel on July 16. More to come.
We have requested that staff increase its monitoring of the entire stormwater system and related infrastructure, especially during the development of the lands to the west.
We have requested that the dredging of Osprey Marsh be expedited to occur in the 2025 season.
We have requested that staff share with us the data collected from the monitoring gauges along Sixteen Mile Creek and initial analyses.
We have requested a full technical review of the stormwater management infrastructure throughout Ward 10.
We have requested that staff investigate opportunities to construct a stormwater management facility north of Lisgar to retain stormwater upstream.
Staff confirmed for us that a sump pump is the first line of defence for mitigating the impact of flooding, particularly around the foundation of homes. They further advised that a backwater valve affixed to the sanitary sewer is also an effective measure to limit opportunities for sewer back up during massive storms like the one we experienced on July 16. The City (sump pump) and the Region (backwater valve) both offer subsidies for installation of these devices for eligible properties. See our earlier communication (also posted on the Councillor’s website) for details.
As it is still early days in the review of this natural disaster, much more data and evaluation needs to and will take place over the weeks and months to come. Councillor McFadden will continue to press staff for answers, especially if current infrastructure or operations may have compounded the devastating impact of this flash flood.
Included in the Motion for Council’s consideration next week is a reference to the evacuation of an entire Seniors Home in Ward 3. In light of this, it’s important to not lose sight of the fact that no lives were lost during this natural disaster and to acknowledge the action and effort of Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services and other non-government organizations and first responders working in the emergency response sector for their dedication and bravery. This storm was bad, but it could have been so much worse.
Wishing you the best for today and the weekend as we continue to deal with the aftermath of this storm.
On behalf of Councillor McFadden,
David Raakman
EA, Ward 10
Councillor Email to Impacted Residents — Tuesday, July 23 at 10:00 am
Good morning from Councillor McFadden’s office.
What follows is a third email update sent directly to those who have reported flooding to our office since Tuesday, July 16. If this is your first email since being added to the group, you can read what was sent previously on the dedicated page posted on Councillor McFadden’s website here: https://www.mississaugaward10.ca/flood-july-16-2024/
If you haven’t already done so, please also sign up for Sue’s eNews so you stay informed: https://www.mississaugaward10.ca/
EMAIL UPDATE #3 to Flood-Impacted Residents
This update includes information about:
- Waste Collection
- On Street Parking
- Hot Showers
REPORTING FLOODING
As of 9:50 am Tuesday, July 23, we have 194 property owners in Ward 10 reporting flooding from the July 16 storm. If you are speaking with your neighbours and become aware that they haven’t reported their flooding to the City, please encourage them to email us at sue.mcfadden@mississauga.ca. Why? Read more here.
WASTE COLLECTION
Peel Region will be scheduling a collection of flood-related waste in Ward 10 for Friday, July 26.
If you have waste ready for pick up by this Friday, please follow these steps:
- Make sure you have checked with your Insurance company to resolve claims for any loss before discarding contents.
- If you haven’t already done so, call the Peel Region Customer Contact Centre at 905-791-9499 to schedule the pick-up. At least a day’s advance notice is preferred.
- Place your waste at the curb by 7:00 am, Friday, July 26.
- Please place smaller items in bags as much as possible and ensure these bags weigh less than 20 kg (or 44 lbs).
- Do not place your regular garbage cart with the grey lid at the curb; it will not be collected on this occasion.
Notes:
- If you have too much waste to fit on the boulevard between the sidewalk and the road, or you have already placed your waste outside on your side of municipal sidewalk, the crews can accommodate this and will be able to collect it from there.
- If your restoration company has not yet come to remove the waste from your home by Friday, there will be another date scheduled sometime after Friday for a second collection. Watch for further updates on this.
- It may take longer than one day to collect the waste. If it isn’t picked up on Friday, leave it curbside and the crews will collect when they can.
We are grateful to the amazing team in waste collection at the Region of Peel for organizing, scheduling and providing this additional service to flood-impacted residents across our region.
ON-STREET PARKING
If you suddenly no longer have sufficient space to park in your garage or driveway as a result of storing contents or the placement of a waste bin, you can pursue the following option to allow parking on the street near your home overnight and beyond the 5-hour maximum.
Temporary Parking Permit: households have 14 of these permits per calendar year that allow for up to 5 vehicles to park on the road for 5 days at a time. After five days, if you still cannot use your driveway or garage, you need to reapply. There is no fee associated with these permits and are active immediately. You can request these by calling 311 or, more simply, through the online form here:https://www.mississauga.ca/services-and-programs/transportation-and-streets/parking/apply-for-a-temporary-parking-permit/
Many thanks to the Parking and Enforcement teams for offering this option at no charge.
HOT SHOWERS
Some residents have indicated that their hot water tank is no longer operational as a result of water in the basement. We have worked with staff at Churchill Meadows Community Centre (5320 Ninth Line) and Meadowvale Community Centre (6655 Glen Erin Dr) to offer complimentary access to the aquatic areas so that you can take a hot shower. Just let the staff at the desk know of your situation upon arrival. We appreciate this accommodation by Recreational staff.
Our Ward 10 team will be meeting with City staff later this week to discuss the impacts of the storm and address many questions that we have and also those that have been raised by residents. It will take some time to review and analyze the ‘what’ and ‘why’ of this storm in our community and across the City but this important work is getting underway now.
Thanks very much for the patience and endurance you have shown as we go through this terrible ordeal.
Kind regards,
David Raakman
On behalf of Councillor McFadden and AA Sharon Persaud
Mississauga Ward 10 Team
Councillor Email to Impacted Residents — Saturday, July 20 at 6:50 pm
Hello again from Councillor McFadden’s office.
What follows is a second email update to those who have reported flooding to our office since Tuesday, July 16. This is in addition to two eBlasts that went out earlier in the week to all residents subscribed to “Sue’s eNews”. If this is your first email since joining the list, you can read what was sent previously on the dedicated page posted on Councillor McFadden’s website here:https://www.mississaugaward10.ca/flood-july-16-2024/
If you haven’t already done so, please also sign up for Sue’s eNews so you stay informed: https://www.mississaugaward10.ca/
REPORTING FLOODING
As of 5 pm Saturday, July 20, we have 162 property owners in Ward 10 reporting flooding from Tuesday’s storm.
Next week, you’ll likely see some road side signs erected along main corridors of our ward to encourage those who suffered damage to report it to the City. It’s easiest for Ward 10 residents to report directly to Councillor McFadden by email (sue.mcfadden@mississauga.ca); I’ve heard that some who have tried to call 311 have been given the run-around. Please, just email us. This doesn’t have to be any harder on you than it already is.
Why are we asking residents to do this? We need this data in order to show City staff that our community requires more investments in stormwater infrastructure., sooner rather than later. The stormwater charge that you pay on your water bill goes into a fund dedicated solely to maintaining and upgrading the City’s existing (and aging) stormwater infrastructure across the entire City. For instance, the flood in August 2013 saw Mississauga receive about as much rain as we did on Tuesday, except in about 90 minutes rather than 3 or 4 hours. The result was hundreds of homes were flooded, particularly in the Cooksville area. Since then, the City added to its priority list the construction of a stormwater retention pond at Saigon Park, north of Cooksville Creek. I will be interested to see how many Cooksville homes were flooded on Tuesday since the pond became operational, in comparison to 9 years ago. These are massive capital investments that take time and money to complete. Your stormwater charge is making a positive difference.
Councillor McFadden remains committed to securing the necessary funding to make effective upgrades to stormwater infrastructure in our community as well, as it is clearly needed.
LISGAR’S HISTORY OF FLOODING
For some of you, this is your first residential property flood. For others, this has been a recurring nightmare for the past 15 years. I know one property owner for whom this is their 8th time being flooded! So what’s going on here? If you’re not familiar with the incidents of flooding in Lisgar and parts of Churchill Meadows in the past, I would invite you to take a bit of time to read up on the history dating back to 2011 by scrolling through several posts on Councillor McFadden’s website dedicated to this issue: https://www.mississaugaward10.ca/lisgar-flooding/
There’s a lot there. So, in short, most homes in Ward 10 were built with a three-pipe water system: the sanitary sewer, the stormwater sewer and the Foundation Drain Collector sewer. Without getting too technical, and as best as I understand it, the sanitary sewer carries grey water from inside your home to a treatment plant before releasing to the lake; the stormwater system collects surface water (land and roads) into catch basins and carries it to creeks and ponds (like the Sixteen Mile Creek and Osprey Marsh, for example) where it eventually makes its way to the lake; the FDC is a separate system with a lateral pipe near the weeping tile that carries water away from the foundation of the home to a larger sewer where it, too, makes its way to Lake Ontario.
The City determined over the course of several years of monitoring, inspection and analysis, that the primary cause of flooding in Lisgar for the past 15 years has been attributed to limited capacity in the FDC system that causes a surcharge in the sewer when the water has no place to go except back toward the foundation dwelling. Prior to last Tuesday, there have been eight weather events in Lisgar when some property owners reported flooding in their basement due to a surcharging FDC. The last one was almost three years ago in the Black Walnut Trail area.
Over the course of this time, several operational and capital investments have been made to deal with the recurring problem, including the High Water Protocol, a sump pump subsidy, smoke testing and most notably, the construction of automated pumping stations to move water out of the FDC to create capacity for water to flow in the sewer system away from people’s homes. The first of these stations became operational just over 2 years ago and the second one is currently under construction. (I hope to provide a more detailed list of the stormwater management investments in a future update.)
That said, as I mentioned previously, Tuesday’s storm was a natural disaster that mainly impacted the stormwater system, not the FDC. We have posed questions to City engineers about the possible connection or impact, if any, between the overwhelmed stormwater system and the FDC system. I know several of you have already shared your theories with me on cause and effect and I am exploring these with the City’s engineering and stormwater professionals.
FLOOD PREVENTION SUBSIDY PROGRAMS
Many of you have been asking about the flood prevention programs you can review and consider for the future. While it won’t help for this incident, it could help you when you review your coverage with your insurance provider and/or in seeking to prevent or minimize the impact of a future flood event. Sadly, these 100-year storms are happening much more frequently in our current environment.
Sump Pump Subsidy
The City of Mississauga is offering a subsidy to cover the cost of sump pump installation (material and labour) up to $6,000 for eligible properties. The key is that you need to be serviced by the Foundation Drain Collector system. The area in red on this mapindicates which homes have the FDC. The work must be completed by a licensed plumber in Mississauga. Read all about this subsidy here:
Backwater Valve
The Region of Peel is offering a subsidy to cover the cost of a backwater valve up to $700 for eligible properties. You must have previously been flooded to qualify. Read all the details about this subsidy here:
https://www.peelregion.ca/wastewater/backwater-valve-rebate.asp
COMPENSATION
Many of you have written to ask if the City or Region may be compensating property owners for the damages they incurred as a result of Tuesday’s storm. Other than the previously mentioned subsidy programs, the short answer is, they won’t. This was a natural disaster and, while the municipality invests and maintains stormwater infrastructure to manage the flow of water on a day to day basis, it cannot be held responsible for extreme weather events (unless negligence or lack of duty of care can be proven, which isn’t the case here). However, you are certainly within your rights to file a claim through the City’s Risk Management department should you wish to do so. https://www.mississauga.ca/contact-us/filing-a-claim/
Compensation for losses comes via your insurance provider. If you have questions about the insurance claim process, or if you are under-insured, please call the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-227-5422 or via email: ONCIC@ibc.ca
I’ll stop for now, but there will be more updates again next week.
Wishing you all the best in these difficult circumstances.
For Councillor McFadden,
David Raakman
Executive Assistant
Mississauga Ward 10
Councillor Email to Impacted Residents — Friday, July 19 at 11:20 am
Greetings from Councillor McFadden’s office.
I don’t have to tell you that this has been a very difficult week in the aftermath of one of the largest natural disasters our community has ever experienced. I apologize for the delay in getting additional information out to you. In managing this crisis for the community, the days have been long. We appreciate your understanding.
Many residents have written to Councillor McFadden with questions related to this flooding event, including what investments the City has made in stormwater management, the status of the flood mitigation measures currently ongoing in our area, and more. To maximize efficiency, we are working to respond to these questions in two ways: first, through batch emails and website postings for more common, general questions; and second, to individuals who have asked about detailed questions related to their specific situation. Thanks for your patience as it will take several days to get to everyone.
Here is the latest information that we trust will be helpful:
WASTE COLLECTION
Given the scale and scope of damages from the rainfall event on July 16, Peel’s Waste Management team has developed the following plan for the collection of flood waste debris:
Pre-Step:
- Residents should contact their insurance providers to resolve any claims related to flood damage before setting items out for waste pick-up,
Curbside Pickup (Primary Method):
- Residents can place their flood-damaged materials at the curb for collection.
- Residents must call Peel Region’s Customer Contact Centre at (905) 791-9499 to request for flood-related waste collection. This will help us efficiently manage the collection process.
Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) – Alternative Only:
- While the primary method to use is curbside collection service, CRCs are also available as an alternative. Residents can take flood waste materials to these centres, where disposal fees will be waived.
- Residents must clearly state that the material is flood-related waste.
- To manage the influx of materials, we ask that you do not publicly advertise the CRC option. This will help prevent an overload of non-flood-related waste being claimed as flood debris. (Yes, sadly, some people would want to take advantage of this situation for their own purposes.)
PARKING
If you have a waste bin in your driveway or your garage is suddenly full of contents and have a shortage of parking, you can obtain a temporary parking permit for 5 days at a time for up to 5 vehicles. Just choose “Driveways Repairs” as the reason for the request. For those who may have exhausted all of their temporary parking permits for the calendar year, we are working with the Parking Control office to consider how to permit flood-impacted property owners to park on the street without penalty.
As of this morning, the total number of homes in Ward 10 with flooded basements exceeds 140 and this list continues to grow. Thank you for reporting your situation to us; the more data we have, the better we can plan and advocate for more stormwater investments in our neighbourhood.
Please reach out anytime and thanks again for your patience in awaiting our reply.
For Councillor McFadden,
David Raakman
Executive Assisant
Mississauga Ward 10
Councillor E-Blast to “Sue’s eNews” subscribers — July 18, 4:00 pm
Dear …,
I continue to receive reports of basement flooding following July 16’s catastrophic rainstorm. Behind every report is a household in crisis, dealing with significant property damage and, in some cases, related health impacts. My heart aches for each one. The devastation is extensive and overwhelming!
If you’re speaking with your neighbours, please ensure they have reported any flood damage to the City (311) or me (sue.mcfadden@mississauga.ca). The more data we can collect about the extent of the flooding, the better equipped we are in planning for solutions to mitigate future impacts.
Peel Region’s waste management team has developed a flood waste collection plan (see below). I am also providing a link to the City’s flood response update from yesterday. I’m thankful to all the staff on the front lines who are helping wherever they can to recover from this natural disaster.
Kindest regards,
Sue
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Staff Update — Wednesday, July 17 at 2:20 pm
This update from City staff provides details regarding the overall impact on various infrastructure assets and ongoing clean-up efforts.
Clean up efforts and restoration of business operations
- Cleanup efforts continue across the city and include removal of debris from sidewalks, roads and trails.
- The majority of roads and parks that were closed yesterday have reopened.
- Marinas, gravel park trails and sports fields, continue with ongoing assessments regarding washouts, needed repairs and long-term damage.
- Most of the damage we’re seeing is impacting infrastructure like asphalt, pedestrian bridges, playgrounds, sports-field turf and fences.
Ongoing closures
- Sports fields remained closed today as field conditions and infrastructure is evaluated for safety of play.
- Trails that remain closed include Culham Trail, Sugar Maple Woods Trail and Streetsville Memorial Trail along the Credit River. Barricades and signage are being put in place for safety and residents are being asked to avoid these areas.
- Courtneypark Drive East is closed from Netherhart Road to Britannia Road East for the next few days.
Stormwater infrastructure
- Our stormwater infrastructure did its job. Every time a storm of this size occurs, it prompts a crucial discussion about funding our infrastructure. The City’s stormwater system and in particular the detention ponds and underground storage systems, served as a strong frontline defense yesterday. These enhancements were key in significantly reducing the impact of flooding.
- Projects such as the construction of Lake Saigon – the stormwater management pond at Matheson Blvd. East and Hurontario Street was designed hold back flows that result in increased protection of the more flood susceptible lands downstream within the Cooksville Creek watershed.
- These investments serve to highlight the importance of the City’s stormwater charge being more than just another fee for residents but a critical investment in safeguarding our community against unpredictable storms of this scale.
Public inquiries and emergency response
Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services
- Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services responded to more than 160 incidents, which included numerous water rescues and an evacuation of 113 seniors from a long-term care home.
- No injuries or deaths were reported as a result of the storm.
- Throughout the day, MFES provided crucial assistance in various emergencies including rescuing individuals trapped in flooded and stalled vehicles, conducting welfare checks for citizens/business owners trapped by rapidly rising floodwaters, responding to reported fires and searching for individuals swept into a creek (Cooksville Creek and the QEW).
- MFES has partnered with Global Medic to provide those who have been displaced with essential hygiene kits.
311 Call Centre
- 311 received twice their daily call average. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., more than 2,000 calls were triaged, leading to 150 significant flooding event service requests being dispatched.
- 38 calls were related to property damage from water flooding basements, 10 of these calls were from the Lisgar area.
- The rise in call volumes resulted in somewhat longer wait times, averaging around 4 to 5 minutes, with the majority of calls focused on:
- Flood emergency
- Maintenance of Catch basins
- Non-emergency clean up
- Parking enforcement
- Water outside of home
Forestry
- Received more than 100 calls about fallen trees and branches across the city, impacting roads, sidewalks, and trails.
- Calls were prioritized based on safety hazards. Cleanup operations are slated to continue over the coming weeks.
Strategic Communications
- Received a total of 10 storm related media inquiries.
- Inquiries were focused on the evacuation of a nursing home, water rescue operations, the effects on infrastructure, and the City’s clean up.
- Messaging was posted across all City social channels, with content from the Region, Police, Conservation Authorities etc. being reshared.
- Information and updates posted to the City’s newsroom.
MiWay
- Flooding occurred on the transitway for a short period of time and nine MiWay bus routes were detoured. Operations have been restored back to normal as of today.
Alectra
- Power outages within Mississauga were limited.
- At the peak of the event, Alectra Utilities advised there were approximately 313 customers without power in the City Centre area (Confederation Parkway and Kirwin Drive), with an estimated restoration time of approximately 5 – 7 p.m.
- Currently approximately 13 customers remain without power as a result of flooded equipment. Power is expected to be restored before end of day.
Key data and insights from the weather event
The rain began just before 9 a.m. and stopped around 2 p.m. Rainfall had mostly stopped in Mississauga by approximately noon. While rain amounts varied throughout the city, Mississauga received approximately 106 mm of rain yesterday. This is in addition to approximately 16 mm of rainfall that occurred on Monday, and 14 mm of rain that fell on Sunday.
The Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) is reporting that it received between 27-118 mm across their watershed.
For context, during the storm in July 2013, about 128 mm of rain was reported to have fallen in a span of roughly 90 minutes.
According to Credit Valley Conservation, the rainfall amounts received during yesterday’s storm, were slightly more intense than a 1 in 100-year storm event. This does not mean that this event is only expected to take place every 100 years, but that it has a one per cent chance to occur in any given year.
Although weather forecasters and Environment Canada had issued warnings about the storm, the weather models had not predicted the volume of rain that ultimately fell. There was very little lead time to prepare for this event.
Reminders for residents
We are reminding residents to take precautions in flooded areas and to respect all posted signs and barricades that have been put up for safety reasons.
We’re also advising residents who have called in to report flooded basements, to watch for electrical and health hazards, as they clean up and to advise them to call their insurance company to assess damages. Their insurer will recommend a qualified contractor to evaluate and restore any damages.
Thank You to Staff
A heartfelt thank you is extended to all City staff and crews for their swift and diligent efforts to address safety hazards throughout the event, ensuring the safety of Mississauga residents and minimizing damage.
Councillor E-Blast to “Sue’s eNews” subscribers — July 16, 10:12 pm
Dear …,
Several residents have reached out to me today to share the terrible news about water in their basements following the torrential rainstorm that dropped 125 mm of rain in a very short period of time this morning. This comes on the heels of yesterday’s storm and last week’s rain, saturating the ground and limiting capacity in the sewer systems and stormwater management ponds.
I can advise that basement flooding has been reported across the City and the GTA; it is not localized to just Ward 10 neighbourhoods on this occasion. Some homes susceptible to flooding in Lisgar have been impacted again today and many more properties are reporting water in their basements for the first time as a result of this devastating rainfall.
The City and Region are developing plans to support residents’ efforts to clean up the damage to their personal property. I encourage those victimized by the storm to reach out to their home/property insurance provider as soon as possible to inquire about the process to file a claim for damages.
Please review the message from City and Regional staff below. More to come.
Kindest regards,
Sue
>>Region and City responding to today’s rain, floods
Region of Peel
What follows is an update on Peel Region’s response to today’s rainfall and flooding event. Reports are Peel Region has experienced upwards of 125mm of rainfall today 70 -140 mm fell over 24 hours, and 60-120mm of that was within just 3 hours. (Hurricane Hazel, for reference, was 111mm over 12 hours or 210 in 48 hours). The storm also landed in extremely wet conditions as we had 50-100 mm of rain in the week leading up to today.
Due to the overwhelming amount of rain in Peel Region, we are experiencing flooded creeks, overland flooding and some maintenance hole covers popping off due to the volume of water in the storm and sanitary systems. Peel Regional staff is working at full capacity to address these issues as quickly as possible.
Water/Wastewater
· Staff are working on multiple locations of sanitary system overflows and bypasses as well as pumping station overflows.
· We’re also investigating several reports of basement flooding but, at this time, we cannot confirm whether it’s storm or sanitary system related.
· Both Water Resource Recovery Facilities are operating well above design flows and experiencing treatment challenge.
· Many of the reported issues appear to be related to riverine flooding/overland flooding.
· Staff is reviewing all our instrumentation data and will conduct a full review of overall system challenges.
Roads
· We have experienced some localized storm sewer surcharging and flooding of lanes and underpasses on some of our south district Regional Roads around the noon hour.
· Police temporarily closed lanes. All locations have receded and reopened with the exception of Dixie Rd and Dundas Street intersection and the Dixie Rd underpass between Dundas St and the Queensway Blvd. Staff are on site with Police waiting for water to recede as there are two cars to remove prior to reopening the road. Staff will inspect the area to ensure the integrity of the road ahead of reopening.
· Staff will complete follow up inspections in the coming days for any follow up infrastructure repairs that may be required.
Waste
We are currently reviewing how we may be able to help homeowners from a waste management perspective.
Communications
We have been sending out communications to our residents via social media including information on X and Instagram about the ongoing work, areas to avoid and health advice during flooding and blackouts.
City’s Flood Response from this afternoon
It will take some time for the flooding to subside even though the rain has ended. Our City staff have been actively managing the flood situation from earlier today. Here is a quick rundown of where efforts have been concentrated:
– Addressing flooding on walkways, streets, open spaces, and trails
– Replacing dislocated manhole covers
– Unclogging catch basins
– Supporting the Police with implementing roadblocks
Our 311 team has also been handling a significant number of calls about flooding incidents affecting streets, personal properties, and parks.
Updates on road closures
Flooding has led to the temporary closure of several roads:
Britannia Road West and Ninth Line
Falbourne Street
Greenpark Crescent
Kennedy Road and Courtney Park Drive
Bridge on King Street between Camilla Road and Frayne Ave
Matheson Boulevard at Timberlea Road
Mississauga Road and QEW
Paisley Boulevard East (effecting Catherine Jean Lane and King Street East)
Paisley Boulevard and Sheppard Ave
Queen Frederica Drive
Queensway and Stanfield Road
Torbram Road at the Railway underpass
Park and trails closures
Additionally, the following parks and trail areas are inaccessible due to the floods:
Applewood Hills Trail (along Little Etobicoke Creek)
Cooksville Park
Courtneypark Athletic Fields (St. Marcellinus)
Danville Ponds / Parks Yard
Erindale Park
Fleetwood Park
Garnetwood Park
Iggy Kaneff
John C Price Park
Paul Coffey Park (Mimico Creek)
Richard Jones Park
Saigon Park
Lisgar Meadowbrook Trail (Near Sixteen Mile Creek)
Streetsville Memorial Park (near Credit River)
Tomken Arena (Parking Lot)
Sport fields
All major City-owned soccer, baseball, football, and cricket fields closed for the day. Our team will re-evaluate the fields tomorrow morning on whether they are fit to reopen to the public.
Reminders to residents
We are reminding all residents to please refrain from calling 911 unless they are in immediate danger or require assistance with rescue or evacuation. We urge everyone to steer clear from stormwater facilities, streams, and rivers, as many are either at peak levels or have overflowed. Currently, our MFES teams have reached their capacity for water-related rescues, with four boats already deployed and more calls coming in. Our City crews are persistently working to mitigate the impacts of flooding on City-owned properties.