Buyouts of flood-prone properties being discussed in Ottawa

A decision will be made soon on property buyouts for flood victims, said the provincial minister responsible for emergency measures.

Steve Ashton is in Ottawa meeting with federal officials on the matter. On Tuesday, he spoke with federal Public Safety Minister Peter Van Loan and federal Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl.

'The bottom line for Manitoba is floods are something we live with. The key element of our vision in Manitoba is learning after every flood event.' Steve Ashton, Manitoba emergency measures minister

Ashton said the meetings were productive and many considerations are now on the table.

"It's really a three-pronged approach. One is disaster assistance: To get it out to people as soon as possible [and] many people will be eligible for it. Number two is to look at mitigation, and where mitigation isn't an option, number three is to look at a buyout option," he said.

Mitigation measures such as building better ring dikes must be exhausted before buyouts are considered, he said. This year's flood proves that more flood proofing needs to be done, he said.

"The bottom line for Manitoba is floods are something we live with. The key element of our vision in Manitoba is learning after every flood event," he said.

Adecision on buyouts should be made in a matter of weeks, Ashton said.

Buyouts after 1997 flood

There were 63 homeowners bought out after the 1997 flood. They were primarily in the rural municipalities of Morris, Franklin and Ritchot, all south of Winnipeg.

Following the 1997 flood, the government spent millions of dollars on improving flood protection between Winnipeg and the U.S. border.

This year, areas north of Winnipeg were hit hard. As many as 200 homes north of Winnipeg were damaged some destroyed by massive chunks of ice on the April 11-12 weekend.

The damage came as thefast-flowing Red River slammed into metre-thick ice that had jammed the river. The blocked water jumped the banks and created a flash flood that shoved the ice into riverfront properties in the rural municipalities of St. Andrews and St. Clements.

More than 40 people, many stranded on rooftops, had to be rescued by emergency personnel in boats and amphibious vehicles.

Rain on the way

With rain forecast for Wednesday and Thursday, City of Winnipeg officials are advising homeowners of an increased risk of basement flooding due to the high river levels.

When river levels are high, the normal capacity of the city's sewer system is reduced. Heavy rains produce a risk of overloaded sewers backing up through residential lines and flowing into basements not protected by a backup valve or sump pit.

River levels inside the city on Wednesday were at 5.75 metres above normal winter levels. The crest on April 16 was 6.9 metres.

Officials say river levels are unlikely to drop to normal summer levels until early June.

Flood evacuee reception centre moving

Much of southern Manitoba remains under a vast lake of floodwaters, which are receding at a snail's pace.

Effective May 3 at 6 p.m., the flood evacuee reception centre in Winnipeg, located at Century Arena on Clarence Avenue, will close.

It opened on April 15 for people requiring emergency support services as a result of having to leave their homes due to flooding. To date, the centre has assisted 273 families, or a total of 724 individuals, according to data released by the province on Wednesday.

Starting May 4, evacuees continuing to require emergency assistance will be able to access services at the River Heights Health and Social Services Centre, 677 Stafford St. at Pembina Highway (next to Price Choppers).

The office will be open Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.Evacuees requiring further information should call (204) 986-4000.