QUEEN’S PARK – Leaders Ledger – Thunder Bay Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro was up in the Ontario Legislature on Tuesday. Here is the Member’s Statement:
The Thunder Bay region has been hit with a record amount of rain. So far this month, we’ve received three times the regular level of rainfall. The result has been widespread flooding.
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The city of Thunder Bay and Oliver Paipoonge and Conmee have declared states of emergency. Highways and roadways have been washed out. Thunder Bay’s Atlantic Avenue sewage treatment plant has been knocked out, and countless homes have been damaged by the flood waters destroying valuable investments and priceless family items. I want to acknowledge all those who have suffered as a result of this flooding.
Speaker, I contacted all of my rural municipalities early Monday morning: Conmee, Oliver Paipoonge, Neebing, Gillies and O’Connor. Emergency Management Ontario is in contact with all the municipalities that are in a state of emergency, and our Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program is available to provide help to those municipalities as well.
Please remember: After periods of significant rainfall, water levels can become dangerous very quickly and without warning, so please stay clear of waterways. If you’re on a well in a rural area, please boil your water if your well has been compromised.
I want to thank all those who are working so hard to respond to the flooding: government officials, Thunder Bay Hydro, firemen and police, and everyday citizens who are working to bring our region back to normal and helping their neighbours in their time of need. A lot of hard work has been done already. These are difficult circumstances, but the people of Thunder Bay region are extraordinary, and their exceptional nature is even more evident when we’re facing adversity. I want to thank you all.
Bill Mauro MPP