While Quebec has been overwhelmed by spring floods for the past few days, floods could become more frequent in the future, thus affecting citizens’ wallets.
• Read also: Evacuation in Rawdon and citizens under alert in Rigaud
• Read also: Spring floods: it’s starting to back up
This week, in Rawdon, in Lanaudière, the waters of the Ouareau River overflowed, their level reaching five to six feet. Significant damage was observed.
“It is unheard of for the level of the river to rise so high. Listen, so many residents who ask, ”Is it safe on the waterfront?” I can’t say it’s 100% safe, but to the point of being flooded, of see caravans drifting away. We have never seen that. There were a lot of losses. There are decks who are gone, sheds, gazebos. There are trailers, ”recalls Alexandre Bergeron, son of the owner of the Shamrock campsite, in an interview with TVA Nouvelles.
Floods, but at what cost?
More and more events of this type are multiplying in Quebec due to climate change.
Moreover, according to statistics from the Insurance Bureau of Canada, the costs related to floods are four times higher than 40 years ago, representing 75% of all financial assistance expenses in the event of disasters.
According to these same figures, 19% of the Canadian population lives in a flood zone.
Due to the greater risk of flooding, it is the citizens who will pay the price.
“Beyond the economic slowdowns, what we have observed is that it is really the citizens who are going to pay the most. So, if we dig a little deeper, we see that there are expenses that are added to the direct repair costs, for example. Some things are not guaranteed. Insurance premiums will increase or will not be available. There are also productivity losses, so less money in people’s pockets. If we continue to compensate people, governments do not have infinite pockets, so we will have to increase taxes, ”says Julien Bourque, senior political analyst at the Climate Institute of Canada.
