Mississauga crews continue clean up after the weekend storm

This past weekend, Mississauga experienced another severe rainstorm which resulted in a large amount of heavy rain within a short period of time. From August 17 to 18, rainfall amounts varied across Mississauga with some areas of the city seeing as little as 6.2 mm and the hardest hit areas receiving 170 mm. Heavy rainfall caused high water levels and localized flooding on roads, along creeks, rivers and streams.

Some areas near Dixie Rd. and Dundas St., Cooksville Creek, Streetsville, Malton, Lisgar, highway stretches of the 401, 403 and 410, and the Airport were heavily impacted. From road closures and increased traffic, the effects were felt widely across the city.

Experts in meteorology, climate change and environmental science are pointing to these events as evidence of how global warming is changing our weather patterns, suggesting such storms could become a common occurrence.

Residents are reminded to take precautions in flooded areas and to respect all posted signs, and barricades that have been put up for safety reasons.

Mississauga’s stormwater system

While some parks and roads flooded, and trails experienced erosion, some residents faced property damage, basement flooding or water pooling in their backyards. Without the City’s stormwater infrastructure being in place and staff actively managing the situation, the situation could have become much worse.

Separate from the sanitary wastewater system, the City’s stormwater system collects stormwater from properties and carries it to a receiving waterbody. Maintaining this system lessens the risk of flooding, reduces creek erosion and protects water quality.

Currently, Mississauga has more than 1,900 kilometres of storm sewer pipes in its drainage system. If laid out end-to-end, these pipes would connect Mississauga to Winnipeg. The stormwater drainage system also includes more than 51,000 catchbasins, 270 kilometres of ditches, 150 kilometres of creeks and 81 stormwater management facilities (including ponds, underground storage and Low-Impact Development facilities) that help collect, drain and clean the City’s rainwater runoff before it enters Lake Ontario – the source of our drinking water.

In 2024, we have allocated $33.7 million for stormwater improvements, focusing on projects along Cooksville Creek, Etobicoke Creek, and erosion control initiatives. Since 2016, we have invested over $231.5 million in stormwater infrastructure. Our 10-year plan includes an additional $340 million for ongoing upgrades and maintenance to enhance our resilience against future storms. And, we remain committed to continued investments in further enhancing our stormwater infrastructure to withstand future weather events like this one. These investments include stormwater ponds, new pipes in the ground, and repairs to creek and river banks to prevent erosion.

The need for continued infrastructure funding

Over the next 10 years, the City’s Stormwater Program will continue to expand and be maintained, in order for our stormwater system to remain fully funded – due to the stormwater charge. However, there is still a need to appropriately contribute to the Pipe Reserve Fund to allow for the future replacement of the City’s aging stormwater pipes.

The City is seeking a commitment from federal and provincial governments and is advocating for additional funding to help bridge the infrastructure gap. This is crucial for underlining priorities, such as stormwater infrastructure, that are vital to the safety of our community.

Flooding on your property

If your home or basement has flooded and you’re in immediate danger or require assistance, call 911.

• If you’ve suffered damages due to a basement flood, call 311. The City creates a record documenting these type of calls.
• If you think there’s a problem with your sanitary sewer pipe, you can request emergency help with a sewer backup.
• Call 311 if your property was impacted by the rain event that occurred over the weekend. The data collected aims to help the Government of Ontario decide on the activation of their Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program.
• Record the details of the flood damage by taking photos or videos. Register the amount of damage to your home with your insurance provider immediately.
• Don’t attempt to shut off electricity if any water is present. Leave your home immediately and don’t return until authorities confirm it’s safe to do so.
• After you have evacuated your home or if water has risen above your electrical outlets, baseboards or furnace, call Alectra at 1-833-253-2872 to report it.

Clean up continues

Clean-up efforts continue, including the removal of debris from sidewalks, roads and trails. The City is still assessing the financial impacts to the Corporation and is working alongside its local and Regional partners, like the Region of Peel and Credit Valley Conservation, to collect data and insights about the severity of this weekend’s flooding.

Parks and trail closures

Residents are asked to take precautions in flooded areas and respect all posted signs and barricades that have been put up for safety reasons. Residents are asked to use caution in all parks and trails, creeks, rivers or watersheds.

Sportfields

Most sportfields have been able to re-open across Mssissauga with the exception of the following:

• Courtney Park Cricket Pitch
• All fields at Meadowvale Sports Park (Major Soccer, Major Baseball, both Major Softball)
• Lisgar Fields Major Baseball Field
• Dunton Fields, Major Softball Fields 1&2
• All secondary fields in the Malton area
• Quenippenon Major Baseball Field

MiWay

MiWay all routes are operating in normal condition.

To assist City crews effectively during this period, please consider the following guidelines:

• Use extra caution when navigating near areas where construction or maintenance activities are taking place.
• Follow all posted signage and barriers around work sites, showing respect for the guidelines in place.
• Make sure to give workers and their equipment the necessary space to safely conduct their tasks.
• Practice patience and kindness towards the crews as they work to repair and restore essential services and infrastructure.

Additional information about flooding

• Residential guide to flood prevention
• Essential outdoor cleaning tips to prevent flooding, pooling and pollution
• How to prepare your home for basement flooding
• The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) handbook for reducing basement flooding
• Insurance experts provide guidance to Ontario residents in wake of flash flooding
• Flooding and Insurance

Tags

• Public Information/311
• Public Safety
• Weather Conditions and Warnings