St. Catharines and Lincoln Declare States of Emergency After Massive Flooding

St. Catharines and Lincoln Declare States of Emergency After Massive Flooding

In Lincoln, the state of emergency was also declared Monday. Town officials stated that available resources could no longer manage the situation and that outside help was required.

St. Catharines: ‘Hurricane’s Worth of Rain’

Mayor Mat Siscoe described the weather as a series of three extraordinary rainfall events rather than a single isolated occurrence. The first storm struck on July 21, followed by another from July 27 to 28, and a third on Aug. 2. Siscoe noted that the storms produced two to three times the amount of rain originally forecast, leaving the ground completely saturated and unable to absorb additional water.

Depending on the area of the city, St. Catharines received nearly 400 mm of rainfall across the three events. Siscoe stated in a video recorded from his own flooded basement that the city dealt with more than 100 mm of rain—which he likened to a hurricane’s worth of rain—on two separate occasions within five days.

The flooding has impacted “thousands” of homes and properties, including businesses and city facilities, and caused significant shoreline erosion to both public and private property. The city’s emergency operations centre has been active since the Tuesday morning of the first storm to coordinate response efforts. Current crews are focused on:

• Responding to urgent calls and assessing damage.
• Clearing debris from catch basins and grates.
• Removing obstructions from waterways to ensure water flow.

Lincoln: Agricultural and Residential Devastation

The Town of Lincoln experienced three storm events over a three-week period, totaling more than 300 millimetres of rain. David Graham, the director of Public Works for Lincoln, reported that a single massive storm brought over 100 millimetres of rain, resulting in approximately 55 reported basement flooding incidents.

The flooding has caused severe distress for local residents and business owners:

• Agriculture: Farmer John Davis reported that his 10 acres of Caribbean peppers, jalapeños, and Scotch Bonnets are underwater, stating the loss could lead him to bankruptcy.
• Commercial: Rodney Bierhuizen of Sunrise Greenhouses reported “unprecedented flooding” that washed out fields and crops inside greenhouses.
• Residential: Resident Randy Helget described a “tragic” scene in his basement where a three-foot-high chair had only four inches of its top exposed.

Government Response and Disaster Relief

Mayor Siscoe has urged provincial and federal officials to provide disaster relief assistance, stating that no infrastructure can handle such extreme rainfall.

Premier Doug Ford announced on Monday via X that the province is working with impacted Niagara Region municipalities. Recovery support includes:

• The deployment of Ontario Corps partners.
• The Salvation Army for the coordination of cleaning kit deliveries.
• Team Rubicon for assistance with debris removal.

Michael Minzak, spokesperson for Ontario Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Rob Flack, stated that the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre is working with St. Catharines to assess damage. This assessment will determine if uninsured damage from overflowing lakes, rivers, or creeks is eligible for assistance under the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program.

Public Safety Canada stated it is in close contact with provincial officials to monitor the situation. While the federal government has not yet received a formal request for assistance from the province, a spokesperson confirmed they stand ready to provide aid if requested.