KENORA – NEWS – Dryden – Sarah Campbell, MPP for Kenora – Rainy River, is spending much of her first week post-election speaking to Mayors and the Ministries of Natural Resources and Transportation about the serious issue of flooding throughout the riding.
High water levels and flows in the Fort Frances and Atikokan areas – the highest observed in 85 years in Rainy River – have wreaked havoc with roads, damaged shoreline structures and flooded properties.
Fort Frances Mayor Roy Avis told Campbell on Tuesday that, with residents’ help, the situation was currently under control, but that the town has incurred a lot of expenses and will need help to recover financially.
“I understand how difficult it can be for entire communities that have to deal with emergency situations such as this and I know that the recovery takes much longer than the initial clean up,” states Campbell. “I am committed to working with the provincial government to ensure that disaster relief is there for the municipalities, individuals, farmers, small business and non-profit organizations who need it.”
While the Dryden area has not been as hard hit, high water levels in the Wabigoon and Eagle Lake systems have caused serious washouts along Highway 605, South Minnitaki Road and on Highway 105.
“What I’m hearing from residents living along these roadways is that the problem of flooding in these locations is not a new one,” says Campbell. “What we need to do is find a permanent solution and get it done before these roads need to be closed again next spring.”
