Insurers and local politicians say the time has come to have a debate about the future of basement apartments because of the increased number of torrential rain events.
A spokesperson for the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) says basement flooding has caused damages in some years that run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions of dollars. Companies are increasingly reluctant to offer policies to people living in areas considered at risk.
The organization described the passage of the hurricane’s remains Debbyon August 9 and 10, as “the most costly climatic event in the history of Quebec, surpassing even the ice storm of 1998.”
The numerous floods have caused nearly 2.5 billion in insured damages, according to a BAC press release published at the beginning of the week.
Craig Stewart, vice-president of climate change and federal affairs at the BAC, says that with flooding becoming dangerous and costly, caution should now be exercised before designating areas where people can live in basements.
A large portion of the 75,000 insurance claims following the passage of Debby were caused by flooding in a basement, he said.
“It’s fair to say that basement flooding has cost Canada hundreds of millions of dollars, and even billions of dollars, in some years,” he says.
Flooding, whether caused by rain, a river bursting its banks or sewer backups, can be dangerous because it can damage the structures of a building, destroy floors and partitions, not to mention mold that can set in.
Some insurance companies have begun to take steps to protect themselves financially against this scourge, Stewart said. They are imposing limits on insured amounts, increasing the price of policies for areas considered at risk and refusing to insure an apartment.
“These situations are becoming less and less insurable,” he emphasizes. “It would be prudent to carefully examine the places where people can be allowed to live.”
At a recent Montreal city council meeting, Maja Vodanović, the executive committee’s head of borough and water consultation, warned citizens that people may no longer be able to live in a basement in the future.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Maja Vodanović, responsible for water on the executive committee of the City of Montreal
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante says there is no miracle solution to prevent flooding in certain areas. She adds that regulations limiting the number of basement dwellings would only apply to buildings that are built in certain areas.
According to Joanna Eyquem, executive director of the University of Waterloo’s Centre for Climate Change Adaptation, there are several things authorities can do to minimize flood risks, including updating sewer systems, building retention ponds and working with property owners to ensure their drainage systems are strong enough.
Another solution is to “work with nature” by creating spaces to absorb water so that there is less of it in the sewers, as Montreal is doing with its “sponge parks,” adds M.me Eyquem.
However, it would be normal for her for residents living in places that are often flooded, if only because they live in low-lying areas or on the former bed of a buried river, to think about living elsewhere.
Mme Vodanović says the City of Montreal is currently renovating its sewers. The work could take 10 to 20 years, however. “But it won’t prevent flooding if we get 150 mm of rain in one day.”
Gonzalo Lizarralde, a professor at the University of Montreal, says it is theoretically possible to build waterproof basements and a massive sewer system that could significantly reduce flood risks. He acknowledges that the cost of such infrastructure may be a major obstacle to their implementation.
“Anything is possible,” he says. “The problem is how do we achieve it with limited resources and the real conditions we live in?”