Shoreline protection cash earmarked by Niagara-on-the-Lake council

More funding has been earmarked by Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake to protect the Lake Ontario shoreline, bringing the total local expenditure since the flooding last spring to more than a half-million dollars.

Last year, the town spent $364,000 for emergency measures to alleviate damage to municipal properties that included sand bags and installing sewer plugs to stop the Niagara River from flooding into the storm system.

During the town’s operations advisory committee meeting Monday, councillors approved spending up to $165,000 more this year, focusing on the purchase of storm sewer check valves to minimize effects of rising water.

Staff reported they are continuing to investigate alternatives to diesel pumps after complaints from adjacent properties last year that “the noise was unbearable.” They reported that the pumps also required quite a bit of maintenance and fuelling seven days a week.

“Elevations of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario are truly a wild card of which way the water will be handled, if and when it becomes an issue,” said the staff report.

“Staff are working toward implementing methods that can be sustainable for longer periods of time … and thereby not being so reactive in nature.”

There was no funding included for shoreline preventive measures in the 2018 budget, so the money will be taken from the dock area reserve fund. The fund had a balance of $391,000 at the end of 2017 and is derived from the lease payments by Whirlpool Jet Boats Tours for use of the town’s Melville Street dock.

Coun. John Wiens made a notice of motion to join other Lake Ontario shoreline communities in seeking support from federal and provincial governments for long-term solutions to flooding problems. His notice was in response to a presentation by Sarah Delicate from United Shoreline Ontario, a grassroots organization that advocates for the protection of public and private properties along the waterfront.

Delicate said that a new Canada-U.S. regulation for controlling water levels for Lake Ontario passed in January 2017 will result in “higher highs and lower lows” for extended periods of times.

According to Delicate, the International Joint Commission’s Plan 14 “will have significant impacts on the shoreline, including erosion, flooding and dry water wells.”

Representatives from United Shoreline Ontario are making the rounds to all municipalities along the Lake Ontario shoreline to raise awareness and lobby for funding for protection measures.

Wiens recommended that Niagara-on-the-Lake support a motion by the municipality of Clarington that senior levels of government provide financial assistance programs for flooding damage. The motion also calls on Ottawa and Queen’s Park to strike a committee to review mitigation and safety plans for communities fronting the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway.

Coun. Terry Flynn said the municipality applied for some disaster relief funding from the province last year, but received nothing.

“How many millions of dollars in damage do you have to incur to get relief ?” he asked, adding that this could become a big issue in the upcoming provincial election.

“In New York State, they have programs,” said Coun. Jim Collard. “We have nothing.”

Council will make a final decision on additional funding for shoreline protection in the dock area and vote on Wien’s motion next Monday.