St. Catharines Declares State of Emergency After Back-to-Back Flooding

The City of St. Catharines, Ontario, has declared a state of emergency following catastrophic flooding triggered by two intense rainstorms that struck within days of each other. The storms on July 27–28 and again on August 2 delivered over 140 millimetres of rain, far exceeding forecasts and overwhelming the city's roads, stormwater systems and sewers.

Mayor Mat Siscoe characterized the recent weather as a "hurricane's worth" of rain, revealing that residents in many neighbourhoods are dealing with flooding for the second time in less than a week. More than 1,000 homes have been affected across the city of roughly 137,000 residents. The flooding has caused significant damage to homes, businesses and public infrastructure, including shoreline erosion and damage to municipal facilities.

Recovery and Support

• The city has established flood waste collection bins at Bill Burgoyne Arena and Kiwanis Aquatics Centre through the end of the week
• Enhanced curbside collection allows residents to leave unlimited waste from flood-damaged properties
• Public washrooms and showers are available at the Kiwanis Aquatics Centre; bottled water is also being provided
• Officials are assessing requests for provincial and federal disaster relief assistance

The ground remains heavily saturated after nearly a week of rainfall, leaving the city vulnerable if another major storm develops. Weather forecasts show rain expected for seven consecutive days starting Thursday. If you are relocating to or living in the Niagara region, be aware that infrastructure vulnerability may persist through the summer. Renters and homeowners should verify their flood insurance coverage, and those with property damage should document losses for insurance and potential disaster relief claims.

Sources

• CBC News — St. Catharines, Ont., declares state of emergency after back-to-back floods
• CP24 — St. Catharines residents deal with aftermath of flooding