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🌊 Yearly Flooding Doesn’t Have to Be the New Normal 🌊

The water may be receding — but the risk hasn’t.
Let’s not wait for the next flood to start preparing.

 

Every spring, communities along the Ottawa River face the same threat.

And every year, we’re reminded: reacting after the water rises isn’t enough.

It’s time to break the cycle.

Here’s How:

✅ Stay informed
✅ Stay prepared
✅ Stay connected
​
The Ottawa River Flood Alliance (ORFA) is a volunteer-based community group dedicated to supporting residents with timely, reliable flood information — before, during, and after the crisis.

Be part of a stronger, more resilient Ottawa River community.

📬 Subscribe to our mailing list  

 


Whether you’ve been directly affected or simply want to stay in the loop, now is the time to get involved.

💙 Together, we stay safe.
💪 Together, we make change.

ORFA is a grassroots team of volunteers from Ontario and Québec addressing the recurrence of Ottawa River flooding by:

  • giving a voice to Ottawa River property and business owners, operators and residents 

  • advocating for people who have experienced the destructive consequences of flooding

  • focusing on finding practical and sustainable measures to prevent future floods 

  • researching and networking to inform and monitor decision-makers regarding the impacts of their actions and inaction

  • working towards better management of reservoirs, tributaries and dams along the Ottawa River
     

While we know that climate change is one factor contributing to flooding, we have identified additional factors which are not related to climate change and that can be addressed by corporations and by our governments  
 

Our mission is to advocate to governments and authorities for:

  • prevention of flooding and use of unfair water management practices  

  • flood emergency preparedness and response   

  • flood mitigation   

  • protection of property values   

  • safety, health and welfare of stakeholders and floodplains 

  • better maintenance of the entire river/watershed system 

Key achievements to date: 

1 / ORFA joined the MRC Pontiac Flood Prevention Task Force

Three ORFA members attend the monthly MRC Pontiac Flood Prevention Task Force meeting established by Jane Toller, Warden, MRC Pontiac, with members of the ORRPB, Hydro Quebec, OPG and ORFA. 

2 / ORFA endorsed the Clarence-Rockland Mayoral petition 

Over 30 municipalities have joined together to request a 3rd party study of the management of the Ottawa River. The request was submitted in July 2023, and ORFA endorsed it on November 9th, 2023. This petition was mentioned during a private meeting with Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan in April.

3 /  ORFA met with Member of the Quebec National Assembly André Fortin

In Feb 2024, three ORFA members met with MNA Fortin and provided flood-related questions for the Member to pose to the CEO of Hydro Québec after his annual presentation in the Quebec National Assembly

4 /  National Flood Insurance Program funding 

ORFA asked our followers to send a message to their MPs to approve the funding required in the April 16th federal budget. MP Jenna Sudds provided her endorsement publicly via our last email to followers. The funding was announced in the budget.

5 /  Meeting with MP Cheryl Gallant

Two ORFA members had a private meeting with MP Gallant in March regarding the Clarence-Rockland Mayoral Petition, among other flood-related topics. In April, MP Gallant was further updated with additional information on the rising levels of the Ottawa River. 

6 /  Meeting with MP Jenna Sudds and MP Harjit Sajjan (Emergency Preparedness)

An ORFA member alerted MP Sudds about the sudden rise in river levels and flows in April, who then escalated to MP Sajjan. ORFA provided a briefing note, and subsequently, two members attended a private meeting with both Ministers on April 19th.  Flood prevention is now a topic which Minister Sajjan will elevate among his provincial counterparts in May, as well as across his federal colleagues. He committed to asking Minister of the Environment Steven Guilbeault to personally look into the flooding issue.

7 /  MP Jenna Sudds and MPP Karen McCrimmon met on April 19th 

Following the meeting with ORFA members, MP Sudds and MPP McCrimmon discussed the issue of flooding. MP Sudds then contacted the ORRPB to obtain a briefing on the status of water levels of the Ottawa River as soon as possible. 

The ORRPB met with Minister Sudds and MPP McCrimmon on April 26th via zoom for 30 minutes to provide a briefing and answer questions.

8 /  Meeting with MP Yasir Naqvi April 26th 

In response to an ORFA member's email regarding the new Federal Flood Insurance Program, MP Naqvi requested an in person meeting. Two ORFA members discussed the program's inclusions, and strongly voiced our concerns about the management of the  Ottawa River. MP Naqvi has committed to contacting MPP Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke John Yakabuski, former Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, to request a meeting. MP Naqvi will also coordinate with Minister Sudds during their weekly Ottawa caucus meetings.  

9 /  Response received from federal Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault

Following an ORFA introductory letter sent in August, Minister Guilbeault provided a two page response on Sept. 20th in which he articulated his role and the various jurisdictions who share responsibilities in water management, including the  ORRPB. He made one recommendation and a few inquiries to the ORRPB. ORFA provided their response and call to action on October 2nd, 2024.

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