Hillier & Reid: Parks Canada Needs to Take Responsibility for Flooding

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 16th, 2017

(PERTH) Randy Hillier (Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington) along with his federal counterpart MP Scott Reid (Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston) have called on Parks Canada to help contribute to the relief efforts for those individuals and business affected by the recent flooding in Tay Valley Township.

“Last June at the height of the flooding, Scott and I sent a letter to Daniel Watson, the C.E.O of Parks Canada, outlining how policies at Parks Canada allowed the water level behind the dam at Bob’s Lake to remain higher than usual, which when hit with the unexpectedly high rainfall, resulted in an overflow at the dam and rapid flooding downstream,” Hillier explained. “We still have not received a reply to that letter.”

On Monday the province finally activated the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program for Tay Valley Township. The program provides disaster relief funding for qualifying individuals, business and non-profit organizations that suffered property damage or loss as a result of the flooding and may be eligible to receive help with emergency and recovery expenses.

Hillier and Reid expect Parks Canada to be contributing to the relief efforts due to their hand in generating the unprecedented volume of flooding. “When Parks Canada let the dam go they had a responsibility to notify the residents in the area that had a potential to be affected by their actions and give them ample time to prepare for the flooding,” Reid pointed out.

“In my opinion, the flooding in Tay Valley Township along Christie Lake and the Tay River was the direct result of the decision made by Parks Canada,” Hillier remarked.

“For an agency that promotes a 'clean up your mess before you leave' attitude towards their properties, they don't seem to stick to it when it involves their actions on other people's property,” Hillier concluded.

You can read a copy of Hillier and Reid’s letter in full here.