Are the days of basements numbered? In recent months, several voices have been raised to suggest a ban on these havens of peace for teenagers and kingdoms of home theaters with oversized screens. These places, which experienced growth at the same time as the rise of the bungalow in the 1950s and 1960s, nevertheless occupy a special place in the hearts of many Quebecers.
Last month, faced with the citizens of Saint-Léonard exasperated by the repeated flooding in their homes, the person responsible for the water file on the executive committee, Maja Vodanović, had this comment: “I think that, in the future, we will no longer be able to have housing in the basement. » According to her, the City may invest millions of dollars to build retention basins and improve its sewer network, but its efforts would not be enough to counter floods like the one that occurred on August 9.
In the following days, Mayor Valérie Plante provided some nuances, specifying that only certain sectors could be targeted by restrictions on the development of basement housing. Last June, the Ville-Marie district notably adopted a new regulation prohibiting an owner from transforming his basement into habitable space in certain risky areas, unless he also carries out work aimed at increasing the impermeability of the building.
In the borough of Saint-Laurent, where the floods of July 10 and August 9 — with 2,300 flooded homes — caused significant damage, elected officials adopted a notice of motion on July 1er last October in order to freeze the granting of permits for new constructions with basement housing. This break will allow the borough to continue its reflection on this subject as part of measures to adapt to climate change.
But according to its mayor, Alan DeSousa, the development of more efficient infrastructure is essential. He also urges the Plante administration to prioritize the project aimed at improving the capacity of the Leduc retention structure. And the Legault government is asking the Legault government to extend access to disaster compensation to victims of sewer backups.
Cultural trait
Quebecers are very attached to their basement. “Basements are part of the culture and collective memory of Quebecers,” says Lucie K. Morisset, professor and holder of the Canada Research Chair in Urban Heritage at UQAM. Closely linked to the rise of bungalows in the post-war period, they are also naturally more present in cold climates, which require the construction of foundations to protect buildings from humidity.
The modernization of heating systems gradually made it possible to free up space in the basements, which then took on a new purpose, that of a living space for the average family living in the suburbs and, in certain cases, a refuge for teenagers. . When CEGEPs were created, students flocked to urban centers and found a place to stay in the basements, she recalls.
“There are many Quebecers who remember having their first kiss, their first dance and their first leisure activities in a bungalow basement,” she relates. I would happily tell you that the bungalow basement is a trait of collective culture. » Bungalows are also featured in works like Two women in gold Or The Neighborsand with them the basements.
Thinking about the future of the basement
With climate change and the growing threat of flooding, should basements be avoided? “It’s not all black or white,” warns Marco Lasalle, director of technical service at the Association of Construction and Housing Professionals of Quebec (APCHQ). “If you simply talk to a director of technical construction services, I would definitely tell you that we should abolish basements, because that’s where the majority of the problems are. But we have a construction affordability problem. The basement is a square foot that doesn’t cost much. »
He nevertheless recognizes that, in certain areas of Montreal where residences are located in basins, inhabited basements pose a problem. Elsewhere in Quebec too. In addition to areas already identified as flood-prone, other regions are affected by sewer backup problems. He cites the case of Joliette, struggling with a saturated underground network.
Marco Lasalle believes that, in risk areas, it is better to take some precautions to reduce damage. The APCHQ suggests in particular the installation of battery-powered sump pumps and the use of water-resistant materials, such as water-repellent coatings and polystyrene or rock fiber insulating foams.
“Never seen before”
Saint-Lin–Laurentides suffered double misfortune. In addition to its known water supply problems, this municipality faced major flooding on August 9. “Never seen before,” recognizes the mayor, Mathieu Maisonneuve. The event created a shock wave, admits the elected official. Land use planning and excessive soil waterproofing need to be reviewed, but we need to go further, according to him.
“We are entering an era where adaptation to climate change will become a reality. The way to build homes will be part of these reflections, he said. In the very near future, there will possibly be regulatory changes to ensure that people no longer build buildings that are so vulnerable. »
Basements are part of the consideration. The mayor says that a developer recently requested that the City authorize the construction of three-story buildings, rather than two, in order to avoid the development of a basement vulnerable to flooding. “It’s completely logical,” recognizes Mathieu Maisonneuve.
Other avenues are being considered, such as open-air basins to retain water. Even lawns are in danger, according to Mr. Maisonneuve. “These are not the best soils for water to percolate,” he emphasizes.
For insurance companies, climate change is not a fiction. Twenty years ago, natural disasters resulted in costs of a few hundred million per year, says Pierre Babinsky, director of communications and public affairs at the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). Today, the cost of claims is in the billions of dollars in Canada. “We are heading towards a record year in Canada, with more than $7 billion in claims,” says Mr. Babinsky.
Last month, the BAC also indicated that the remains of the hurricane Debby, which struck several regions of Quebec on August 9 and 10, had been classified as “the costliest insured event in the history of Quebec”, even surpassing the ice storm of 1998.