Final Update – Weather Incident – July 16, 2024
Provided by the Director of Works Operations & Maintenance – Regarding the City’s response to yesterday’s weather event, which saw Mississauga receive a month’s worth of rain in just one day, (over the course of four to six hours) – which exceeded the 100-year storm event. The update provides details regarding the overall impact on various infrastructure assets, the questions addressed through the media, 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.
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.
UPDATE – Mid afternoon:
As you may be aware, 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. Efforts have been concentrated on:
– 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, and responding effectively.
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 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. Due to the current weather conditions as well as the heavy rains Mississauga experienced yesterday, we are seeing localized flooding in areas across the City and in some areas street closures and park walkways are being closed. All creeks and rivers are either at capacity or flooding into parks and greenspaces. At this time, the majority of water is staying within these floodplains. The intensity and volumes we are seeing today were not identified in yesterday’s forecasting models and monitoring systems; this modelling was just updated within the last couple of hours and our City crews are responding quickly.
As a result of current weather conditions, crews are responding to high volumes of service requests related to:
- Flooding issues on sidewalks, roads, parks and trails
- maintenance hole covers being dislodged
- clearing blocked catch basins
- assisting Police with road closures
Calling 911
- Please do not dial 911 unless you’re in immediate danger or require assistance with rescue or evacuation.
Basement Flooding
If your home or basement has flooded, remember to be careful.
- Don’t attempt to shut off electricity if any water is present.
- If water rose above your electrical outlets, baseboard or furnace, immediately call Alectra at 1-833-253-2872 to report it.
- If you live in a condo or apartment, please contact property management if you are currently displaced from your home.
- For updates on when you can return to your property, please contact property management
Exercise Caution
- Avoid stormwater ponds, culverts, streams & rivers.
- Never travel through flooding or areas where there is ponding.
- Be sure that roof water drains.
- Ensure eavestroughs & downspouts are clear.
- Keep catchbasins debris-free. Report blocked catchbasins to 311.
- Use caution when travelling in areas where flooding has or could occur.
- If you are driving, travel to conditions, leave extra space for stopping, watch for taillights ahead and be prepared to stop.
- If walking or cycling, use designated crosswalks or crossrides where possible.
- Report any fallen trees and flooding to 311.
- Report power outages to @alectranews.