The urban agglomeration of Montréal declares a state of emergency

MONTRÉAL, April 26, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - The urban agglomeration of Montréal declares a state of emergency in support of the related municipalities and boroughs affected by the floods. The mayor of Montréal, Valérie Plante announced this decision pursuant to the analysis of current precipitation forecasts, particularly in the West Island. The territories that are currently at risk are: Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Pierrefonds-Roxboro, L'Île-Bizard—Sainte‑Geneviève, Montréal-Nord and Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles as well as the City of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and the Village de Senneville.

The Mayor can resort to these special powers and declare a state of emergency in her municipality when one of the following conditions is met:  

• the municipality is facing a major, real or imminent disaster;
• the municipality must take immediate action to protect the life, health or integrity of citizens;
• the municipality is unable to take the necessary action within the scope of its normal operating rules.

Current and forecasted weather conditions imply that the situation will not be short-lived, but rather will likely last several days. According to Environment Canada, 60 mm of rain will fall in the watershed by Saturday evening, which will cause a major rise in water levels, weaken retaining walls and dikes erected in key locations to stop water infiltration.

Pursuant to a state of emergency, the urban agglomeration has the following powers:

• control access to or enforce special rules on or within the roads or the territory concerned ;
• grant authorizations or exemptions in areas under the jurisdiction of the municipality, for the time it considers necessary for the rapid and efficient conduct of emergency response operations ;
• make and authorize any expenditure or contract it considers necessary.

Furthermore, under a state of emergency, the urban agglomeration of Montréal has the power to impose evacuations where citizens are in imminent danger. 

Personnel from the Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal (SIM) and from its public protection centre, from the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), members of the Canadian Armed Forces, and urban agglomeration employees are mobilized to secure dikes, erect some more where required and report on regular monitoring of those dikes. Constant communication is also ensured between the city's public protection department and the Canadian Armed Forces.

The urban agglomeration of Montréal wishes to highlight the solidarity with which this situation has been handled, and to reiterate the fact that it continues to serve its citizens. The urban agglomeration of Montréal would also like to remind you that its personnel has been working around the clock, and has ensured constant presence on site to monitor the situation as it progresses.  

For more information concerning the floods, go to the website of the Centre de sécurité civile.

SOURCE Ville de Montréal

Division des relations de presse, 514 872-4946