If a flood was to hit your home today, would you be ready for it? A new poll conducted for the federal government appears to show a large majority of Canadians aren’t prepared.
“It’s surprising to us many people don’t seem too worried,” Tim Warmington, a spokesperson for Public Safety Canada, told CityNews, noting “anyone, anywhere, anytime” can be impacted.
“As natural disasters go, flooding is by far one of the most expensive and one of the most pervasive.”
Warmington said only 11 per cent of residents in Canada surveyed by Ipsos (nine per cent in Ontario) told the polling firm they were ready for a flood while 76 per cent of Canadians said they were unaware of specific risks related to flooding.
He said when it comes to basement flooding, the average damage amounts to around $40,000.
In the Greater Toronto Area, the actual risk of flooding isn’t restricted to just the spring.
RELATED: A couple hours of housework could save you thousands in flood damage
Rehana Rajabali, the associate director of engineer services with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), said the primary concern in the winter is how ice jams can form, in spring snowpacks combined with rain pose the biggest seasonal risk, intense thunderstorms can cause major damage during the summer and if history is an indicator fall can see hurricane-related weather (the devastating Hurricane Hazel hit Toronto in the fall of 1954).
She said predicting potential flooding in Toronto is harder to do in the longer range.
“Because our watersheds are so small and so urbanized it’s not possible early on to predict the kind of weather that generates flooding. It really is the kind of thing that shows up on your weekly or daily forecast,” Rajabali told CityNews.
The TRCA offers a mapping service on its website to help residents determine if they have a higher likelihood of flood-related events or damage. Click here to access that tool.
Meanwhile, Warmington said in addition to knowing your overall flood risk, he offered several tips:
- Check and clean your eavestroughs every spring and fall
- Make sure water is flowing at least six feet away from your home and you might need to grade areas where pooling is
- Keep your important documents higher in your house and in a waterproof package
- Have enough food, water and clothing on hand at any time for each household member to last 72 hours
For additional flood preparation tips by Public Safety Canada, click here.
