Prime Minister visiting Gatineau flood evacuees

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau isvisiting a flood evacuation centre in Gatineau, Que., Wednesday afternoon.

More than 300 people have registered with the western Quebec city as victims of a flood that's reached major flood levels in some waterfront neighbourhoods and is expected to reach that status inmore areas today.

Trudeau and his wife, Sophie Grgoire Trudeau,spoke with flood victims and volunteers at the evacuation centre.

They thanked the volunteers for their work.

"Once again we're here noticing andnoting how the floods across the country are a challenge, here in Quebec and elsewhere," Trudeau said.

With climate changewe're going to see more and more of these extreme weather events more regularly.- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

Hepointed to the work all levels of government are doing to help residents, but said climate change is anew reality Canadians have to accept.

"We also have to reflect that with climate change we're going to see more and more of these extreme weather events more regularly. It means we have to think about adaptation and mitigation, and how we're going to move forward together."

Trudeau visits flood evacuation centre in Gatineau

5 years ago

Duration 0:35

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says climate change will likely mean more flooding for the National Capital Region.

Riversstill rising

Water levels across the region are not expected to peak until later this week.

Parts of Ottawa are also flooding, as are communities to the west such as Pontiac, Que., to the south in Lanark County and to the east such as Clarence-Rockland, Ont., and Rigaud, Que., echoing devastating floods in 2017.

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Trudeau is being accompanied by GatineauMayorMaxime Pedneaud-Jobinand GatineauMP StevenMacKinnon.

Quebec PremierFranois Legaultvisited the region on Monday.