Toronto Flood-Prone Area to Get $323M in Federal and City Funding

A tow truck operator responds to submerged vehicles at an underpass at Parkside Drive and Lake Shore Boulevard after heavy rain caused flooding in Toronto on July 16, 2024. The Canadian Press/Christopher Katsarov

The federal government and the City of Toronto will spend over $323 million to build flood protection infrastructure in a Toronto neighbourhood prone to severe flooding.

The targeted area is Rockcliffe-Smythe, along Black Creek in northwest Toronto, a neighbourhood known for high risk of riverine and urban flooding. The presence of Black Creek as well as Lavender Creek, which can overflow during heavy rainfall, makes the area particularly vulnerable to flooding.

International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow announced the funding on Aug. 30 in response to recent storm damage in Toronto in July.

The federal government is contributing over $129.3 million, while the City of Toronto is providing more than $193.7 million. The project will modify the Black Creek and Lavender Creek channels, build a flood protection wall and several bridges, complete the replacement of culverts, and improve the local sewer system and roads.

“The Rockcliffe-Smythe area is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of more frequent and severe storms. Recent flooding demonstrates the need for a robust and improved infrastructure to protect residents, property and the community,” Hussen said in the press release announcing the project.

In July, heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding and major power outages across Toronto and other parts of southern Ontario. July 16 saw more than 100 millimetres of rain fall in pockets across Toronto, the city said. This broke the record set for that day in 1941, according to Environment Canada.

This year’s July flash floods in Toronto and southern Ontario caused over $940 million in insured damage, the Insurance Bureau of Canada said in an Aug. 30 news release.

Chow highlighted concerns from local residents regarding basement flooding and home damage.

“By investing in flood protection, we can mitigate the costly impacts of flooding on people’s homes and our public infrastructure. Together, we can help make the Rockcliffe-Smythe community more resilient to the impacts of climate change,” she said in the Aug. 30 press release.

The release noted that these investments also offer long-term economic benefits, with every dollar spent potentially returning as much as $13 to $15 in benefits.

Councillor Frances Nunziata, who represents Toronto’s York South—Weston ward where Rockcliffe-Smythe is located, described the project as a “long-overdue” mitigation measure that brings hope and relief to the community.

The federal funding is being provided through Ottawa’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund. The federal government had in October 2020 committed $19 million through this fund to reduce the impact of severe storms and flooding in the Rockcliffe-Smythe neighbourhood, with the City of Toronto contributing $28.5 million toward the project.

Carolina Avendano contributed to this report.