Flood victims want to know why Burlington systems failed

What happened?

That’s what Burlington residents who have been flooded out of their homes want to know.

And that message was delivered to Mayor Marianne Meed Ward when she visited one of the neighbourhoods most affected by water damage following the extensive rainfalls on Monday and Tuesday.

“My commitment is to do my best to get you the answers to the questions you asked us, to find out what happened and make sure it never happens again,” the mayor wrote on her X (formerly Twitter) channel this evening (July 17).

Visiting residents of the Brant Hills neighbourhood and mainly those who live on Cavendish Drive, the mayor toured the flooded-out streets and visited homes where water damage was severe.

She acknowledged that many are in dire straits.

“Residents have had to be evacuated and cannot live in their homes right now,” she said. “My heart goes out to everyone experiencing this situation.”

While the extensive rainfall led to the rapid accumulation of water, many Burlington residents are questioning why the city’s infrastructure could not handle the situation. Also, some say the response from local government has been confusing and at times appears unorganized.

“You call the region (Halton) if water is in your basement, but you call the city (Burlington) if the street is flooded,” complained one social media user who pointed out that most people can’t differentiate between the different levels of government. “This should have been coordinated better. There should be one response hotline. People shouldn’t have to call the region for one thing, the city for another, then the insurance company for something else and then the Red Cross then Highway 407. It’s confusing. People are panicking and they are being told to call all over the place.”

For those on Cavendish, they have been told that debris buildup on nearby Highway 407 likely led to some of the water overflowing onto their properties and that a cleanup is underway.

“We are in regular contact with Highway 407 ETR staff to share information and updates on the progress of the work,” said the mayor. “Our emergency staff have advised that 407 ETR staff are on site and will be working overnight to relieve the remaining flooding in the area by cleaning debris.”

Meanwhile, several streets have reopened including Cavendish after the water was cleared away.

As well, residents who have been forced out of their homes have been told they can use local community centres during regular operating hours to shower, use the bathroom and to rest.

The City of Burlington has planned a special meeting for Friday to discuss the flood response.