Next steps have been decided for the six flood-prone areas.
Wood Buffalo council met over the past four days where they decided future steps for downtown, Longboat Landing, Waterways, Draper, Ptarmigan Court, and Taiga Nova Eco-Industrial Park.
April’s flood forced around 13,000 people to evacuate these areas with approximately 1,200 properties being damaged.
According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, the flood caused over $522 million in insured damage. The government of Alberta had also provided $100 million through the disaster relief program for those without insurance.
Longboat Landing
The municipality is being tasked with moving forward with flood mitigation in the area.
The berm will be raised to cover a 1 in a 200-year flood by October 2021. This is estimated to cost around $11.7 million.
This decision by council comes despite several requests from property owners for buyouts. Buying all properties would have cost around $97.5 million.
“Even when (the berm) is completed, there is no reason to believe these will work as intended,” said Olivia Martineau, Longboat Landing resident. “If this approach is such a logical and secure step to ensure resiliency in the area it should have been in place prior to development.”
Several councillors, including Mike Allen and Verna Murphy, noted they understand the frustration from property owners, however, buyouts aren’t possible due to the cost and issues around offering buyouts for specific condo buildings.
“We really did try our best and I hope people can recognize that at the end of the day,” added Murphy.
Right now, the biggest issue in the area is insurance.
One of the condos in Longboat Landing is reportedly set to lose its coverage on September 21 as a result of April’s flood. Administration says they’ve been made aware of the situation and put the condo in touch with IBC.
“Owners are struggling in regard to procurement of insurance, with high fees for insurance with minimal coverage, damage to property
(which four full months after the flood the scope of work has STILL not been approved by insurance and is incomplete), unprecedented, massive decrease in property value, inability to sell, or even rent property,” added Kelly Moore, Longboat Landing resident.
Council also approved several additional measures including advocating for flood insurance, landscaping all municipal property in the neighbourhood, and engaging with pedestrians about a potential walkway being among the flood mitigation.
Future development will be limited under the 250 metre mark and will most likely need to include flood abatements and be raised above 250 metres.
Enhanced flood provisions will also be included in the land use bylaw for development above 250 metres.
Downtown
Work will be moving forward to improve flood mitigation in downtown to help against a 1 in a 200-year flood.
This is expected to cost around $80.3 million and be finished in October 2022.
April’s flood was deemed a 1 in a 100-year flood with the already existing berms keeping most of the water at bay. The majority of flooding came from sewer backup.
Diagram of April’s flood // Photo via Wood Buffalo council documents
Buyouts were never an option for the area as it would have cost the municipality around $1.3 billion for all properties under 250 metres.
A few property owners did send in letters asking for a buyout.
Sami Hachem, who lives downtown, notes the area will always have a sense of danger to it.
“The mayor and councilors have repeatedly said that the completion of the berm is not going to stop the city from flooding and I don’t qualify for flood insurance because I’m on the flood plain. I want a buyout.”
New development will be allowed under this mark, however, it will most likely need to include flood abatements and be raised to at least 250 metres.
Enhanced flood provisions will also be included in the land use bylaw for development above 250 metres.
Taiga Nova Eco-Industrial Park
Flood mitigation will be continuing in Taiga Nova.
Council voted to continue work on the area’s berm, which currently has an existing gap, and improve the measures to protect against a 1 in a 200-year flood.
Work is expected to cost around $6.4 million – $4 million to finish the berm and another $2.4 million to raise it to protect against bigger floods.
Buyouts for Taiga Nova would have cost around $350.5 million for properties under 250 metres and an additional $113 million for those above the 250 metre mark. Over half of the properties had been damaged by April’s flood.
Future development under the 250 metre mark will be limited and will most likely need to include flood abatements and be raised above 250 metres.
Enhanced flood provisions will also be included in the land use bylaw for development above 250 metres.
Waterways
Buyouts aren’t being offered for any Waterways property owners at this time.
Council voted to finish creating the berm in the neighbourhood by October 2022. It will also be raised to protect against a 1 in a 200-year flood.
Councillor Krista Balsom wanted to see buyouts offered for those who wanted to leave, however, many other council members weren’t too fond of the idea.
“I do want people to stay in this region and I believe buyouts are just a technique of saying goodbye to people,” said Mayor Don Scott.
The cost to buy out all properties under 250 metres would have been around $25.5 million.
Work in the area is expected cost around $44 million – $24 million around the berm and another $20 million for the Saline Creek Egress Road.
The proposed work would see crews raise McCormick Drive and Saline Creek from the Saline Creek bridge to Tomlinson Street, where it will connect to the egress road.
Future development under the 250 metre mark will be limited and will most likely need to include flood abatements and be raised above 250 metres.
Enhanced flood provisions will also be included in the land use bylaw for development above 250 metres.
Ptarmigan Court
The municipality will be conducting one-on-one talks with each property in Ptarmigan Court.
Administration had recommended offering buyouts for all properties in the neighbourhood, however, council voted against the idea as there was no clear consensus from the 69 properties.
Some, like Louis Rondeau, wanted to be bought out.
“The repairs that we have to do now if they’re completed and this happens again in 2021, which is a distant possibility, then that money is essentially thrown away.”
Others, like Bruce Rivest, wanted a land swap as any deal would be much less from what he had paid for the property.
“An outright buy out would not work for me as I am still paying a mortgage on a home that was valued at approximately 25 to 30 per cent more in 2015 than it is now. A buy out would work for the residents that did not rebuild after the fire and who just want to be
compensated for their land.”
Some did claim they wanted to stay, however, there is no way to protect the area from future flooding. The one possibility is raising each property which is expected to cost between $15,000 to $20,000 for each trailer.
Council will get an update on the engagement sessions in roughly 90 days.
Draper
The municipality will also be conducting one-on-one meetings with all property owners in Draper.
Like Ptarmigan Court and parts of Waterways, administration had recommended offering buyouts for those under the 250 metre mark – costing around $40 million.
The area was also split in what to do – some wanting to stay and others wanting to leave.
“At first I was dismayed at the thought of this house being torn down or moved, it’s very peaceful and quiet and I did so much work,” said Christine Lot. “Then I thought, as long as they offer a reasonable price, I’m okay with that.”
Any buyouts would have been offered through the 2020 property assessment.
Land swaps were discussed but quickly thrown out as Councillor Sheila Lalonde, who represents Draper on council, noted people chose the neighbourhood for the size of each property and less city feel.
The best option for flood mitigation would be to raise each property. This is estimated to cost between $75,000 to $100,000 for each residence.
Council will also get an update on these sessions in roughly 90 days.