Floodwaters recede in southern Quebec, but risk still remains
Evacuation orders have ended in towns affected by flooding after an early spring thaw
Communities across southern Quebec are remaining vigilant Tuesday after warm weather and rain over the weekend and into Monday led to flooding in several municipalities.
Drummondville and Beauceville were particularly hard hit, with the City of Drummondville issuing an evacuation notice for 300 buildings located in flood-prone areas along the Saint-François River.
Local authorities lifted the order Monday evening, citing an improving hydrological situation, including a drop in water levels in Drummondville and a reduction in water flows upstream from the city.
A notice on the city's website also says that an emergency centre that had been open for evacuees has now been closed.
"All those requiring assistance have been taken into care by the Red Cross," the notice reads.
In a statement on X, Quebec Public Security Minister François Bonnardel praised Drummondville for its rapid response to the emergency and reminded the mayor that the city could count on financial support from the government through its disaster relief program.
Meanwhile, in Beauceville, water levels remained high Tuesday morning due to an ice jam on the Chaudière River, north of the downtown core. While the ice jam was still present Tuesday afternoon, water levels were decreasing.
Provincewide, the situation has stabilized, but authorities are keeping their eye on the situation.
Luc Bourassa, a spokesperson for Quebec's Ministry of Public Security, said the weather conditions over the next 48 hours will likely help to keep water levels down.
He explained that cooler weather in the short term will slow down ice and snow melt, while a clear forecast without snowfall or rain will also help.
Flooding becoming more unpredictable, expert says
André Bélanger, executive director or Fondation Rivières, a Quebec advocacy group focused on river preservation and restoration, said he wasn't surprised by Monday's sudden flooding.
Flooding used to happen later in the season and was more predictable, he said.
"Now what we see ... are unpredictable events [such] as this temperature rising suddenly and getting ice to melt suddenly without any short notice. So we're really into climate chaos," Bélanger said.
"The problem is that we've built those communities really close to the rivers and we were at a time when it was not flooding that much and it was kind of controlled and the weather was different. Now we will have to adapt."
Bourassa said he couldn't comment as to whether the situation was getting worse in Quebec but said river systems are complex and the spring thaw is a dynamic process involving many variables.
For example, he said warm weather in one area could affect flooding risk hundreds of kilometres away, adding that the situation changes from one day to the next and from year to year.
Bélanger for his part, believes it's time for a public debate on how we manage our waterways and how we mitigate flooding. That means deciding on what areas to protect and what areas not to protect, he said.
"The water has to go somewhere when there's a flood ... you cannot block it all over the place," Bélanger said.
Before that discussion can take place, however, Bélanger said the government needs to provide updated flood maps.
"So those are the areas that are going to be considered as a high risk of flooding, which means for the owners, they're going to lose value on their properties," he said.
"When we'll see the maps, we'll be able to have that public discussion on what do we do now?"
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With files from Rowan Kennedy