Flood plain meeting puts spotlight on province

He said the City, led by himself, continues to “buck” against the flood plain policy until the province understands and explains to the citizens what it means.

“The province has adopted it (the one-in-500 year flood plain), but we have not as a City. It still doesn’t give them protection, but it just aggravates the province a little. But they’re here today to try to appease us and to appease the people,” Dionne said shortly before the meeting started.

He said the province would also ease up on the rules because the City is undertaking a new study of the elevation levels.

“You can’t just say that the whole area is a flood area. Because … some could get six inches of water, some could get six feet, so we need to know that.”

The meeting, led by planning and development services director John Guenther, was aimed at explaining what adopting the one-in-500 year flood plain in the City’s Official Community Plan will mean for property owners.

Ralph Leibel, the executive director for the community planning branch of the ministry of government relations, addressed the audience at length. Much of his presentation was the rationale behind the flood plain policy, and it touched on the residents’ concerns.

He told the audience that the policy didn’t require immediate flood proofing and he explained that new development and the replacement of buildings is allowed in the fringe of the flood plain. As well, he said, recognizing the flood potential should not affect property values.

Leibel cited the experience of Regina, Lumsden and Fishing Lake, where he said property values are maintained or increased when flood proofing takes place.

Both Leibel and Guenther raised the spectre of larger-scale flood proofing, including the construction of berms or dikes. Leibel said the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP) is seeking federal funding to support mitigation which he said reduces disaster assistance costs.

And over the years, flooding has come at a great financial cost to the province.

He spoke about the real flood risks in Saskatchewan, as well as the cost to compensate property owners and municipalities after floods hit. Between 2010 and 2014, PDAP received 20,622 claims from private property owners and municipalities. It made $260 million in payments.

Between 2005 to 2009, PDAP payments totalled $81 million.

The question and answer session with residents that followed Leibel’s presentation saw residents voice their frustration and directed pointed questions to Leibel and Guenther.

When asked by one resident if it was a done deal that the City would be adopting the province’s flood regulations, Guenther answered that it is a part of the draft Official Community Plan.

He said the City is legally obligated by the Statements of Provincial Interest Regulations to follow the law.

While a number of City officials were on hand to meet with residents, Prince Albert’s sole MLA was not present. Prince Albert Northcote MLA Victoria Jurgens’ absence from the meeting was pointed out by opposition NDP leader Cam Broten who stepped up to the microphone to speak.

Broten tweeted about this afterwards.

Attended a mtg in PA Northcote with 100s of constituents hugely concerned about prov flood zoning changes. Zero govt MLAs there to listen.

— Cam Broten (@cambroten) March 27, 2015

Broten’s appearance elicited applause from the audience.

“Elected representatives from the government should be here to hear firsthand the concerns and the priorities that the community members have,” he said.

He asked representatives from the Minister of Government Relations Jim Reiter’s office who were present to pass along the message that residents in the flood zone have kept up their end of the bargain. They paid their mortgages and played by the rules established by the province through the City, Broten said.

“So, having played by the rules, it’s only understandable and it’s only realistic and it’s only appropriate that the provincial government, when it comes to funding for this would also play by the rules and hold up their end of the bargain.”

He said that whatever the master plan is, there must be provincial and federal funding to be part of the solution.

“What clearly needs to be heard in Regina by the Sask. Party MLAs is that the solution needs to be there and the funding needs to be there to back up whatever decision is being made and is being forced or put on to the community,” Broten said.

Thursday evening’s meeting was the first of two solely focused on the flood plain. A second information session is scheduled for May 7 at Riverside School.

After the meeting, Dionne said he felt the meeting went well overall, but recognized that it got heated by the end.

“I don’t blame them, because they’re getting frustrated again the province has changed the rules and no one’s willing to step to the pole and put up the money at this point to rectify the problem.”

Dionne said the problem should not be put on individual homeowners.

He added that, coming out of the elevation study, the City will look at where it would put dikes, if that is the route it takes.

“I really encourage people to come out to the next meeting because there’ll be even more information to share.”

tjames@panow.com

On Twitter: @thiajames

by Thia James

Flood plain meeting puts spotlight on province

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