OTTAWA, ON – Today, Members of the Conservative Ontario Caucus sent a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding the rising water levels and the expected major flooding along the shorelines across Ontario. The water levels across all the Great Lakes remain near or above record levels.
Local Member of Parliament Eric Duncan (Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry) questioned the Prime Minister directly in Question Period about the government’s plans to mitigate the impacts to residents and asked for the government’s cooperation to investigate measures to help residents and businesses in the longer term.
“My constituents here locally often face the opposite challenge of low water levels between the Iroquois and Moses Saunders Dam in Cornwall, but it is equally harmful to shorelines, property values, tourism and our environment,” said Eric Duncan, Member of Parliament for Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry.
“The one thing that is very clear to me as a new Member is that there is no coordinated response with all the federal departments that are impacted, let alone with provincial and municipal contacts. This is a real, tangible way we can get answers to help address this issue and take real steps. I am committed to not just complaining about the situation, but finding ways, to lessen the impacts for tens of thousands of residents and businesses in Ontario and Quebec,” added MP Duncan.
Last year, several communities in Ontario had to declare states of emergency as a result of severe flooding to activate resources from the provincial and federal governments.
“We believe it is essential for the federal government to have a fully detailed plan to prepare for what is becoming a likely risk of flooding this spring,” said Philip Lawrence, Member of Parliament for Northumberland-Peterborough South. “Time is of the essence for the government to have measures in place to prepare for and to mitigate the inevitable flooding that is facing many communities across our province.”
The full letter is attached. -30-
For more information:
Adrian Bugelli
Executive Assistant to Member of Parliament Eric Duncan
613-937-3331
