Federal Support to Flooding

May 10, 2017 – 2:00 p.m. EDT

Updates:

• It was announced that HMCS Montréal, and her crew, will join the Canadian Armed Forces’ ongoing relief efforts in her namesake city of Montreal tomorrow;
• Additional Canadian Armed Forces members from Kingston will be deployed to Quebec today. This will bring the total number of deployed personnel to 2,200. More troops are now deployed for the operation in Quebec than the rest of all Canadian Armed Forces operations around the world combined; and
• Drone users are reminded that a Special Flight Operating Certificate (SFOC) is needed for drone use, and are asked to keep away from police and emergency services activities.

Summary of Events

• On May 5, 2017, the Minister of Public Safety accepted a formal request for federal assistance from the Government of Quebec.
• On May 7, Minister Goodale also accepted a request for assistance from the Government of Ontario to provide 250,000 sandbags. The sandbags were delivered, fulfilling the request.
• The Government Operations Centre, on behalf of the Government of Canada, is leading the coordination of the federal response to the flooding situation in Ontario and Quebec. Officials continue to work closely with federal and provincial partners on the specifics of this assistance. 
• A total of approximately 2,200 Canadian Armed Forces personnel will be deployed to support Quebec citizens and coordination efforts by the end of the day. Numbers of deployed personnel will fluctuate over the next week due in part to the availability of Reservists. Troops, along with aviation assets, engineer assets, and 12 boats from the Naval Reserve, are positioned to support and react to the needs identified.
• The Government of Canada announced that it will pay all costs to support the Canadian Armed Forces role in the emergency response. Canadian Forces support includes: filling sandbags, transporting affected citizens, maritime patrols; building dikes; helping repair broken pumps, and providing assistance to the Red Cross in shelter areas.
• There have been a number of evacuations nationally, including approximately 230 in British Columbia, 130 in Eastern Ontario, and 2,720 in Quebec. There have been mandatory evacuations from the Quebec Municipalities of Pontiac and Rigaud, and Montreal and surrounding areas, and Central British Columbia.
• The Government of Canada announced a $1 million contribution to the Canadian Red Cross to assist with flood efforts. Canadians can make donations to www.redcross.ca.

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For more information, please visit the website www.publicsafety.gc.ca or https://www.canada.ca/en/services/policing/flooding-in-canada.html.

Information:

Scott Bardsley
Office of the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
613-998-5681

Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
(613) 991-0657