By Beryl Wajsman,Editor
The Suburban

Provincial Liberals and the Mayor of the Vaudreuil-Dorion have added their voices to that of Pierrefonds-Roxboro’s Mayor Jim Beis against the new provincial flood map. That map, as The Suburban has reported, is resulting in thousands of homes being uninsurable. They had not been listed on any flood zone maps before.

The mayor of Vaudreuil-Dorion Guy Pilon said, “I find it absolutely stupid because they did the same thing in 2019.” He said about 2,000 homes would find themselves in a flood zone. Those living in high-risk areas would no longer be able to rebuild if their house is ever flooded. “You cannot rebuild, so what’s your land worth? No one would buy a land where you cannot build!” The mayor wants more done such as building another dike, but the province has turned him down. “They’re telling us they’re going to pay every year, every two years, three years for flooding, but don’t want to invest in a little dike,” Pilon said.

In the National Assembly, Quebec Liberal housing critic Virginie Dufour has presented a citizens petition on the same issue. It calls on the government to delay the adoption of the new regulations and extend consultations. and also asks for a simplified and accessible process to review and update flood zone maps. The petition also highlights complaints received by the Quebec Ombudsman, alleging errors in the new flood zone mapping.

Petitioners have the same concerns that the municipalities and Mayors do. The flood map changes could have major consequences on property values, the insurability of homes, and the ability to renew mortgages for many affected individuals.

Dufour told The Suburban said that, “Given the far-reaching implications of this regulatory change, both economically and socially, I believe it is important to shed light on the concerns being voiced by citizens.” Anyone wishing to sign the petition can go to the following link.

https://m.assnat.qc.ca/fr/exprimez-votre-opinion/petition/Petition-11045/index.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawF_lgBleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHWV7nUGvvMX7R6fpJiROFKWJ3H16rrmPj5mrfmcdT10JwzkWy2t77wmRVA_aem_7zDGiv7z8il8uN8IN_5TvQ n