Learn about Flood Resilience and ways to protect and advocate for your shoreline property
Floods happen in Durham Region, and climate change is bringing wetter and wilder weather to the area. If your property is located near the shores of a water body, rising water levels, storm surge driven by extreme winds, and erosion can pose a significant risk to you, your family, and your home.
Get Flood Ready
If you rent or own property in Durham Region along a shoreline:
- Determine if your property is located within a flood hazard area by using the floodplain viewer.
- Learn about flood messaging and watershed conditions from your local Conservation Authority.
- Find out about erosion control and shoreline protection techniques from your local Conservation Authority, such as this locally relevant website from Kawartha Conservation.
- Learn about flood evacuation alerts and orders for your area through your Conservation Authority and through Durham Emergency Management Office (DEMO).
- Speak with your insurance broker to find out what is covered.
Acting Now Saves Money Later
Every $1 invested today in protecting your home and property can save you up to $6 in avoided costs when recovering from extreme weather impacts such as flooding. Your local Conservation Authority and municipality are also taking action to identify areas at risk, reduce those risks, and support residents.
Don’t be Afraid to Advocate!
There are many organizations involved in flood risk reduction and flood management – it is not only up to you and your municipality! Here are some ways to be involved in local flood protection measures:
- If you have questions about your local shoreline, contact your local Conservation Authority.
- Email your Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in Ontario and Member of Parliament (MP) in Canada. Let them know that extreme weather, water level variability, storm surge and flooding may pose significant issues. Also, that they should work with all levels of government to consider adaptation solutions, such as financial compensation for homeowners, or management of the highest-risk areas.
Resources
Explore the Flood Ready Durham website and the resources below for more information on how you can protect yourself and others you care about:
