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Water levels on the Ottawa River continue to stabilize between Gatineau and Carillon, Que., according to Wednesday’s update from the Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board.Levels have stabilized between Pembroke and Lake Deschenes in west Ottawa.A new support centre has opened in Gatineau at 850 boulevard de la Gappe.
The latest major Ottawa River spring flood is again causing some residents caught by the rising water in Gatineau, Que., to temporarily leave their homes.
“We have to leave our home and spend a few days with our daughter because we can’t drive down the street anymore,” said Gatineau resident Michael McCann, who went to a Red Cross support centre earlier this week looking for support.
McCann said there’s about 45 centimetres of water stretching nearly 300 metres from the river toward his house.
That support centre opened Tuesday at the sports complex at 850 boulevard de la Gappe.
“There were already people waiting when we started,” said Chantal Jolicoeur, who is the relief site co-ordinator for the Red Cross and lives in Aylmer, which itself has some flooding.
“We have no clue how many people we’ll have, but we will be ready to help anybody who will come,” she said.
This photo, taken Wednesday by CBC, captures flooding in the area of Avenue des Tourterelles along the north Ottawa River shore, west of Gatineau, Que. (Félix Desroches/CBC)
The Ottawa River Regulation Planning Board, which manages and monitors its waters, said in its Wednesday update that water levels and flows are stabilizing between Gatineau and Carillon, Que., at levels roughly five to 15 centimetres below peaks seen three years ago.
“With moderate temperatures forecast and no major precipitation expected in the next few days, spring runoff from the central unregulated portion of the basin is expected to gradually decrease over the coming week,” the board said.
While water levels and flows from Pembroke to the edge of Ottawa have stabilized, they are expected to still keep increasing upstream from Pembroke, the board said.
The City of Gatineau has partnered with the Red Cross to turn the Centre sportif on boulevard de la Gappe into an emergency relief site. (Camille Cusset/Radio-Canada)
People up and down the river in places like Ottawa-Gatineau, Fort-Coulonge and Clarence-Rockland have been working to save their homes and businesses, some for the fourth time in 10 years after floods in 2017, 2019 and 2023.
Back at the Gatineau relief centre, Pascal Mathieu, the Red Cross vice-president for Quebec, said those affected by the flood could stay in a hotel for three days and the city would reassess the situation after that.
“Both our volunteers and the city have a lot of experience with the people here,” Mathieu said. “Even a single house being flooded is one too many.”
The City of Gatineau said Wednesday morning it appears nearly 200 buildings had flooded and about 300 more were at risk. (Jason MacClellan)
Other people in other situations were trying to stay home.
“This morning it was [up to the] end of my legs, so I hope I’m going to be OK to walk,” said Silvy Lemay, who earlier this week wasn’t planning to leave her home in the rue de Versailles area.
“But we have a kayak, so I’m probably going to come back and kayak later on.”
The city said anyone else who wants help leaving a flooded home should call 311 to reach the city, who can then send firefighters in either a truck or boat to facilitate.