Essex mayor calls for report on flood mitigation projects

Essex Fire and Rescue attend to a situation on Gore Road off County Road 20 in Essex following flooding caused by a heavy storm. Aug. 24, 2023. (Rob Hindi/AM800 News)

The mayor of Essex is looking to see what else can be done to address flooding in the Town.

Sherry Bondy presented a notice of motion during Monday's council meeting, which will be brought forward for council's consideration at the next meeting.

The notice of motion is a request for a report from administration outlining initiatives and projects completed in 2024 and planned for in 2025 that help to address flooding in the municipality.

Since the two intense rainfall events in August 2023, which saw residents face heavy flooding in their homes and the streets, the town has completed a number of initiatives to ensure that type of flooding never happens again.

"We've revamped our subsidy program, looking at increasing it, making it easier for people to access. We also applied for the disaster relief through the province, so I'd like to have a report on how that worked for the public, how many people in our municipality applied and received funding from the province. Also, things like we're looking at inflow and infiltration."

Bondy says residents are still concerned about flooding.

"There's still residents that haven't even finished their basements because of money, and they're worried if we develop any more that we're going to continue to have flooding. I get asked on a weekly basis, 'what are you doing for flooding?', and I'm looking at a macro and micro plan to address flooding, and it's going to take time, and it's going to take money."

She adds that as the town grows, it's important that the land can handle new developments.

"Should we look at areas of our municipality that potentially shouldn't have basements? What else can we do to educate the public on flooding prevention? It's a lot of public education as well, residents that have an issue, make sure you check your sump pump, make sure you have a backup to your sump pump, make sure you have a backflow valve, make sure you check your backflow valve."

During the 2025 budget feedback survey, Bondy says flooding, and flood mitigation was one of the top issues residents wanted council to address.

The notice of motion will be presented during the Jan. 13 meeting. 

— Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News