Saint-Laurent receives $7.3M from the federal government to fight flooding

The borough of Saint-Laurent is receiving an investment of over $7.3 million from the federal government to enhance its resilience against flood risks during heavy rainfall. Funded through the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF), this financial assistance will be used to build water retention structures in Bois-Franc Park and the Midtown project, as well as to continue the development of the Saint-Laurent biodiversity corridor.

Announced by the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Member of Parliament for Saint-Laurent, and Alan DeSousa, Mayor of Saint-Laurent, this innovative project aims to increase the stormwater network’s capacity and reduce overflows into the Rivière des Prairies during heavy rainfalls. Additionally, it integrates nature into urban environments to mitigate the effects of heat waves while enriching local biodiversity.

“In the fight against climate change, nature is our greatest ally, as this innovative project proves through its use of phytotechnology and its consideration of biodiversity in design. This initiative and those like it are helping communities to meet the challenge of increasingly frequent and severe floods driven by climate change. The Saint-Laurent biodiversity corridor is a concrete example of how we can protect Canada and build more resilient, sustainable communities for generations to come,” said The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

The project includes three key components:

• Expansion and modernization of the permanent Noroît reservoir and its surrounding areas through phytotechnology, which will increase its capacity while using natural solutions for water management.
• Addition of a retention basin in Midtown Park, providing an alternative to direct stormwater runoff by promoting natural infiltration, thereby reducing pressure on the drainage system. These ecological measures play a key role in flood risk reduction and contribute to sustainable water conservation.
• Extension of the Saint-Laurent biodiversity corridor, which aims to facilitate species movement, enhance ecosystem resilience, and help mitigate urban heat islands, making public spaces more comfortable for residents. This corridor is designed to create ecological connectivity between Montreal’s natural areas, parks, and green spaces.