Ottawa investing $14.8 million toward flood prevention in LaSalle

The federal government announced Tuesday that it is contributing $14.8 million toward flood prevention in LaSalle. The town will also put more than $22 million into the project.

In a press release, the government says the project will see the replacement of LaSalle's current flood prevention infrastructure with five new storm water pumping stations and a new sanitary bypass pumping station. 

The government says it expects the new infrastructure will reduce the impact of flooding for 30,000 people. It also estimates that every dollar spent will save $7.63 in flood recovery and replacement costs.

The money will come from the federal government's Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF), a 10-year, $2 billion program which has also devoted funds to flood prevention in Tecumseh.

Windsor-Tecumseh Member of Parliament Irek Kusmierczyk and LaSalle Mayor Marc Bondy announced the project in LaSalle Tuesday morning.

"With severe weather events on the rise, it is important we invest in infrastructure that protects Canadians, their homes, and their businesses," said Kusmierczyk in a press release.

"Once complete, this important project will help protect LaSalle residents from floods, ensure essential services remain available during floods, and significantly reduce the costs of recovery."

Rising water levels in Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie mean that LaSalle is increasingly vulnerable to floods.

"We are proud to partner with Infrastructure Canada to make the Town of LaSalle's Disaster Mitigation and Infrastructure Enhancement Project a reality," said Bondy in a press release. 

"Flooding has been a concern for Town Council and Administration, and for a number of our residents, for the past few years. This project supports the continued investment that the Town of LaSalle is making in infrastructure, and will continue to make in the future."