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Vancouver Sun
11-07-2025
- Climate
- Vancouver Sun
Why Canada may not be ready for 'new reality' of flash flooding and severe storms
VANCOUVER — Ryan Ness of the Canadian Climate Institute says he's been following the 'terrible tragedy' of deadly flash flooding unfolding in Texas , where more than 100 people have died. But he's also worried Canada isn't doing enough to prevent such disasters here, saying the country needs to invest in flood mapping, infrastructure and early warning systems. 'Luckily, there are many ways that we can protect ourselves, but we have to make the effort,' said Ness, who is the research director for adaptation at the policy research organization. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'You know, first of all, we have to understand where the risk is.' He said many parts of Canada don't have flood maps, 'so it's hard to know where to protect or where to send warnings.' Flood warning systems are also needed to help people in the path of flash floods 'prepare or get away, if they can,' while long-term infrastructure upgrades are needed to protect risk zones. 'In some cases, that means putting things in the houses like backflow valves that keep sewers from backing up,' he said. 'Or it can mean building flood walls along rivers to keep flooding from happening. Or it can mean making sure that city planning doesn't allow more new housing in flood risk zones.' The raging flash floods in Texas — among the worst in the United States in decades — slammed into camps and homes along the Guadalupe River before daybreak Friday. Some survivors were found clinging to trees. The disaster has put a focus on both the risk of flash flooding as well as how to predict or prevent it. Ness warned that climate change is making flash flooding worse and many Canadian cities, provinces and territories don't have laws in place to prevent development in dangerous areas. He called increased risk of flash flooding and more severe storms 'the new reality.' Flash floods have stuck across Canada over the past year, including Coquitlam, B.C., where an atmospheric river rain event triggered a mudslide that killed a teacher in October, and Toronto, where torrential rain overwhelmed drainage last July and caused about $990 million in insured losses. Ness said that in hilly areas of B.C.'s Interior with fast water runoff, flash floods can sweep away people's homes with 'very little warning.' He said flash flooding can be made worse in areas burned by wildfire, where soil that is no longer held together by plant life 'is much more likely to maybe turn into a mudslide or a landslide.' He said other risk areas are in Alberta in the front ranges of the Rockies featuring lots of rock and little absorbent soil. 'When it does rain, it can flow downhill very quickly. The town of Canmore (in Alberta), for example, has identified this as a major risk and has a strategy to try to deal with it,' said Ness. Massive floods hit the town in 2013. In Montreal and Toronto, flash floods are usually due to paved areas with no soil to soak up heavy rain, Ness said. 'And the water rises very quickly in rivers and streams that run through those areas, and it also rises very quickly in sewers, and that's what backs up into people's basements most often, and causes basement flooding,' said Ness. He said Toronto has a multibillion-dollar strategy to improve storm sewers. But it takes a long time to find that much funding, and the type of disruptive construction required isn't an easy fix. 'That's another reason to start making these investments as soon as possible, because it is going to take some time. But climate change isn't going to wait,' said Ness. He said Canada needs to adapt for flash flooding much more quickly. 'There are many smart engineers and government officials who know what to do, but we need to support and invest in the projects to adapt to this new reality. Otherwise, we are not going to be ready.' — with files from The Associated Press
CTV News
09-07-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Deadly Texas flood raises protection concern in B.C.
During the massive floods that struck B.C. in November 2021, Merritt's most recent flood map was decades old. The deadly flash floods in Texas are prompting questions about flood mitigation methods north of the border. Ryan Ness of the Canadian Climate Institute shared his concern with CTV News on Tuesday and believes there must be more investment in flood mapping, infrastructure and early warning systems. 'Canada has a patchwork of flood forecasting and warning systems,' said Ness via Zoom. 'There is no unified national framework.' He went on to say that some provinces and territories have more refined and effective systems than others. In British Columbia, he said, the system is 'pretty solid.' He explained that the province's centralized agency, the B.C. River Forecast Centre, provides continuous monitoring of river conditions and allows for information to be passed to authorities to alert the public. According to Ness, areas susceptible to flash flooding in B.C. are typically rural and natural areas with steep terrain, where water runoff can be accelerated, or areas with scorched soil from wildfires. 'There's no more vegetation to hold it together. The water runs off quickly and often brings mud and debris with it,' said Ness. Flash floods have struck across Canada over the past year, including Coquitlam, B.C., where an atmospheric river rain event triggered a mudslide that killed a teacher in October. Ness also questions whether flood mapping in B.C. needs to be improved and updated after flooding impacted communities across the province in 2021, including Merritt, which had a map that was decades old. Sean Strang is the director of flood recovery and mitigation for the City of Merritt. He says the old flood mapping showed between 110 and 130 houses or structures within the flood zone. The new one the city is working on shows 1,274. Nearly half of the community is now in the flood zone. According to Strang, the flood in 2021 was nearly double the strength the community was engineered for. After years of pre-planning, holding public discussions and speaking with neighbouring Indigenous communities to find a plan that works well for the entire valley, the city is now rebuilding stronger flood mitigation protections. 'I can see the light at the end of the tunnel,' said Strang. 'Are we at that light? Absolutely not. That's probably something that's going to be more like 2029 before this kind of capital program is built out.' Strang said the city is hoping that no severe weather event happens over the next four years, as officials are unsure their current protections are enough to withstand it. Strang says the province has provided $152 million since the 2021 flood. He says this makes up 70 per cent of the project cost and is urging the federal government to step up and help with more funding. The province told CTV News on Tuesday that atmospheric rivers in November 2021 and October 2024 heightened people's concerns about flood risks and highlighted the importance of flood preparation. The province wrote that it has been increasing preparedness and mitigation efforts precisely because of warnings from experts on flood hazards and the impacts of climate change. 'This includes more than $410 million in provincial funding for about 605 flood risk reduction projects since 2017 with First Nations and local governments,' the government's statement reads. The province went on to note that it launched a new B.C. Flood Strategy in 2024 to build flood preparedness and mitigation across the province from now to 2035. The B.C. government also provided details on regional flood hazard mapping in partnership with the federal government, writing that the mapping is focused on areas with flood risk and lacking adequate detailed flood hazard maps. 'These maps provide the foundation for effective flood risk reduction decisions by communities across B.C.,' the province said.
CBC
08-07-2025
- Climate
- CBC
Why Canada may not be ready for 'new reality' of flash flooding and severe storms
Social Sharing Ryan Ness of the Canadian Climate Institute says he's been following the "terrible tragedy" of deadly flash flooding unfolding in Texas, where more than 100 people have died. But he's also worried Canada isn't doing enough to prevent such disasters here, saying the country needs to invest in flood mapping, infrastructure and early warning systems. "Luckily, there are many ways that we can protect ourselves, but we have to make the effort," said Ness, the research director for adaptation at the policy research organization. "You know, first of all, we have to understand where the risk is." He said many parts of Canada don't have flood maps, "so, it's hard to know where to protect or where to send warnings." Flood warning systems are also needed to help people in the path of flash floods "prepare or get away, if they can," while long-term infrastructure upgrades are needed to protect risk zones. "In some cases, that means putting things in the houses like backflow valves that keep sewers from backing up," he said. "Or it can mean building flood walls along rivers to keep flooding from happening. Or it can mean making sure that city planning doesn't allow more new housing in flood risk zones." WATCH | How flood warnings failed in Texas: Texas flash flooding: How the warnings failed | About That 2 hours ago Duration 9:49 Catastrophic floods in Texas have killed more than 100 people and dozens are still missing. Andrew Chang gives a timeline of the floods to explain why the warning systems in place may not have been enough. Images provided by Getty Images, The Canadian Press and Reuters. The raging flash floods in Texas — among the worst in the United States in decades — slammed into camps and homes along the Guadalupe River before daybreak Friday. Some survivors were found clinging to trees. The disaster has put a focus on both the risk of flash flooding as well as how to predict or prevent it. 'Building the political will' Jason Thistlethwaite, professor in the School of Environment at the University of Waterloo, agrees with Ness on the need to limit development in the high-risk areas, calling this the "biggest line of defence" in Canada. He said there was a potential "conflict of interest" for municipal governments that could garner property taxes from developments in flood-risk zones. But he said there had been "emerging signs" of leadership, citing the city of Grand Forks, B.C., which is buying out residents in high-risk areas with the help of provincial and federal funding, after a devastating 2018 flood. "There are plenty of examples out there in Canada about how we do this properly," he said. "It's really just a matter of getting the information out and building the political will and [having] upper-tier governments who are willing to sign the cheques." Flash flooding 'new reality' Ness warned that climate change is making flash flooding worse, and many Canadian cities, provinces and territories don't have laws in place to prevent development in dangerous areas. He called the increased risk of flash flooding and more severe storms "the new reality." Flash floods have struck across Canada over the past year, including in Coquitlam, B.C., where an atmospheric river rain event triggered a mudslide that killed a teacher in October, and in Toronto, where torrential rain overwhelmed drainage last July and caused about $990 million in insured losses. Jonathan Helmus, the director of utilities for the City of Coquitlam, also volunteers as a scout leader and runs an overnight camp for children. He said seeing a camp overwhelmed by floodwaters in Texas "hit especially hard" for him. But Helmus said the soil and climate in Texas are quite different from B.C.'s He noted that the flash flooding in Texas was set off by about 50 centimetres of rain, more than half the rainfall the area sees all year. "And their soil is quite dry, so it's hard for that water to get into the ground, which produces conditions like what was seen there — the flash flooding," said Helmus. Helmus noted flooding events in 2021 and 2024 in Coquitlam were linked to atmospheric rivers. He said the city has major diversion sewers, detention ponds, and base augmentation tanks that could be activated during significant events to reduce flooding risks. Helmus said the city also has an integrated watershed management plan, allowing it to look at what's happening within the watershed and identify where the flooding risk is before any development is allowed. "We do have some established floodplain areas where we say, if you're going to build in this area, we have a minimum flood construction level, and they have to build above that level," said Helmus. Ness said that in hilly areas of B.C.'s Interior with fast water run-off, flash floods can sweep away people's homes with "very little warning." He said flash flooding can be made worse in areas burned by wildfire, where soil that is no longer held together by plant life "is much more likely to maybe turn into a mudslide or a landslide." He said other risk areas are in Alberta in the Front Ranges of the Rockies, featuring lots of rock and little absorbent soil. "When it does rain, it can flow downhill very quickly. The town of Canmore [Alta.], for example, has identified this as a major risk and has a strategy to try to deal with it," said Ness. Massive floods hit the town in 2013. In Montreal and Toronto, flash floods are usually due to paved areas with no soil to soak up heavy rain, Ness said. "And the water rises very quickly in rivers and streams that run through those areas, and it also rises very quickly in sewers, and that's what backs up into people's basements most often, and causes basement flooding," said Ness. He said Toronto has a multibillion-dollar strategy to improve storm sewers. But it takes a long time to find that much funding, and the type of disruptive construction required isn't an easy fix. "That's another reason to start making these investments as soon as possible, because it is going to take some time. But climate change isn't going to wait," said Ness. He said Canada needs to adapt for flash flooding much more quickly. "There are many smart engineers and government officials who know what to do, but we need to support and invest in the projects to adapt to this new reality. Otherwise, we are not going to be ready."
National Post
08-07-2025
- Climate
- National Post
Canada may not be ready for 'new reality' of flash flooding and severe storms. Here's why
Ryan Ness of the Canadian Climate Institute says he's been following the 'terrible tragedy' of deadly flash flooding unfolding in Texas, where more than 100 people have died. Article content But he's also worried Canada isn't doing enough to prevent such disasters here, saying the country needs to invest in flood mapping, infrastructure and early warning systems. Article content Article content Article content Article content Flood warning systems are also needed to help people in the path of flash floods 'prepare or get away, if they can,' while long-term infrastructure upgrades are needed to protect risk zones. Article content 'In some cases, that means putting things in the houses like backflow valves that keep sewers from backing up,' he said. Article content 'Or it can mean building flood walls along rivers to keep flooding from happening. Or it can mean making sure that city planning doesn't allow more new housing in flood risk zones.' Article content The raging flash floods in Texas — among the worst in the United States in decades — slammed into camps and homes along the Guadalupe River before daybreak Friday. Some survivors were found clinging to trees. Article content The disaster has put a focus on both the risk of flash flooding as well as how to predict or prevent it. Article content Article content Article content Article content He called increased risk of flash flooding and more severe storms 'the new reality.' Article content Flash floods have stuck across Canada over the past year, including Coquitlam, B.C., where an atmospheric river rain event triggered a mudslide that killed a teacher in October, and Toronto, where torrential rain overwhelmed drainage last July and caused about $990 million in insured losses. Article content Ness said that in hilly areas of B.C.'s Interior with fast water runoff, flash floods can sweep away people's homes with 'very little warning.' Article content He said flash flooding can be made worse in areas burned by wildfire, where soil that is no longer held together by plant life 'is much more likely to maybe turn into a mudslide or a landslide.'
Vancouver Sun
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Vancouver Sun
Canada may not be ready for 'new reality' of flash flooding and severe storms. Here's why
Ryan Ness of the Canadian Climate Institute says he's been following the 'terrible tragedy' of deadly flash flooding unfolding in Texas, where more than 100 people have died. But he's also worried Canada isn't doing enough to prevent such disasters here, saying the country needs to invest in flood mapping, infrastructure and early warning systems. 'Luckily, there are many ways that we can protect ourselves, but we have to make the effort,' said Ness, who is the research director for adaptation at the policy research organization. 'You know, first of all, we have to understand where the risk is.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. He said many parts of Canada don't have flood maps, 'so it's hard to know where to protect or where to send warnings.' Flood warning systems are also needed to help people in the path of flash floods 'prepare or get away, if they can,' while long-term infrastructure upgrades are needed to protect risk zones. 'In some cases, that means putting things in the houses like backflow valves that keep sewers from backing up,' he said. 'Or it can mean building flood walls along rivers to keep flooding from happening. Or it can mean making sure that city planning doesn't allow more new housing in flood risk zones.' The raging flash floods in Texas — among the worst in the United States in decades — slammed into camps and homes along the Guadalupe River before daybreak Friday. Some survivors were found clinging to trees. The disaster has put a focus on both the risk of flash flooding as well as how to predict or prevent it. Ness warned that climate change is making flash flooding worse and many Canadian cities, provinces and territories don't have laws in place to prevent development in dangerous areas. He called increased risk of flash flooding and more severe storms 'the new reality.' Flash floods have stuck across Canada over the past year, including Coquitlam, B.C., where an atmospheric river rain event triggered a mudslide that killed a teacher in October, and Toronto, where torrential rain overwhelmed drainage last July and caused about $990 million in insured losses. Ness said that in hilly areas of B.C.'s Interior with fast water runoff, flash floods can sweep away people's homes with 'very little warning.' He said flash flooding can be made worse in areas burned by wildfire, where soil that is no longer held together by plant life 'is much more likely to maybe turn into a mudslide or a landslide.' He said other risk areas are in Alberta in the front ranges of the Rockies featuring lots of rock and little absorbent soil. 'When it does rain, it can flow downhill very quickly. The town of Canmore (in Alberta), for example, has identified this as a major risk and has a strategy to try to deal with it,' said Ness. Massive floods hit the town in 2013. In Montreal and Toronto, flash floods are usually due to paved areas with no soil to soak up heavy rain, Ness said. 'And the water rises very quickly in rivers and streams that run through those areas, and it also rises very quickly in sewers, and that's what backs up into people's basements most often, and causes basement flooding,' said Ness. He said Toronto has a multibillion-dollar strategy to improve storm sewers. But it takes a long time to find that much funding, and the type of disruptive construction required isn't an easy fix. 'That's another reason to start making these investments as soon as possible, because it is going to take some time. But climate change isn't going to wait,' said Ness. He said Canada needs to adapt for flash flooding much more quickly. 'There are many smart engineers and government officials who know what to do, but we need to support and invest in the projects to adapt to this new reality. Otherwise, we are not going to be ready.' — With files from The Associated Press Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
