This street was not in a flood zone 10 years ago. Now Montreal needs to help, homeowner says

When Joachim Le Garrec bought his home in Montreal's Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough 10 years ago, the area was not considered a flood zone.

So he was shocked when swollen Rivière des Prairies burst into his neighbourhood in the spring of 2017.

There's been considerably less devastation this year, thanks to a hastily built, 250-metre wall of sand, sandbags and plastic wrap on Crevier and Cousineau streets.

The temporary dike is holding back floodwaters and protecting homes, but Le Garrec is still worried. He finds himself hopping out of bed in the middle of the night to see if the temporary dike is holding.

He says a permanent dike would give him and his neighbours some peace of mind.

"It's a huge amount of money that they spent here, and I think that same amount of money should be spent on a permanent solution," he said. "If we're able to do that, we'll all be able to sleep better."

Many experts agree with the Quebec government's new approach, saying the best solution is for people to move out of flood zones. However, Le Garrec says it's not that simple, considering he was told his house wasn't in a flood zone when he bought it.

The city says it is too early to discuss the construction of a permanent dike. Montreal is now reviewing new state-of-the-art flood maps for zones at risk along the Mille Îles and Des Prairies rivers.

The maps were created by the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM) and, until they're adopted, rules for building permits and home construction will continue to be based on outdated information.

Quebec looks to redefine flood zones

On Wednesday, Quebec Premier François Legault said his government is taking steps to mitigate future flooding.

Legault said a team — led by Public Security Minister Geneviève Guilbault — will be mandated to provide support and compensation to this year's flood victims as quickly as possible.

He said the group will identify ways to prevent similar problems in years to come, including reassessing where people are allowed to build.

"It's not an easy process to redefine a flood zone, but I think it's important that we do so," he said.

"With what happened in 2017, and this year, it's clear that we're in for a new impact with what's happening every spring."