Beaconsfield calls on province to remove homes from new flood zone maps

Beaconsfield calls for changes to flood zone map

Beaconsfield is calling on the province to make changes to their new flood zone maps, saying 200 homes were mistakenly added.

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Beaconsfield calls on province to remove homes from new flood zone maps

CTV Montreal
Published Sunday, July 7, 2019 6:14PM EDT
Last Updated Monday, July 8, 2019 6:47AM EDT 
 
The City of Beaconsfield is calling on the provincial government to remove more than 200 waterfront homes from new flood zone maps.

Beaconsfield city council plans to pass a resolution Monday night to correct what it says is a big mistake, claiming that the flood zones on the map don't reflect the reality of the situation on the ground.

The maps include more than 800 municipalities, carrying huge ramifications for insurance, rebuilding plans, and property values.

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Photos

A portion of the 200 waterfront homes in Beaconsefield deemed to be in a flood zone by new provincial standards are seen in a still from Google Maps.

Real estate agent Suzanne Arrelle warns that homes in the red zone could see a huge hit to their property values – as much as 70 per cent – if they can sell at all.

"I have a client where we were going to list the house, they never had water in the whole street but now they're in the red zone," Arrelle told CTV Montreal.

"So I said we're going to put a hold on the sale of the house, we don't have a choice."
Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle says he's sent a letter to the municipal affairs minister demanding that the 200 affected homes be wiped off the flood map.

"It came out of the blue as a huge surprise that all of a sudden Beaconsfield is in a flooding zone," Bourelle said.
Bourelle says that unlike Pierrefonds, communities along the southern shore of the West Island aren't as affected by the rising water levels.

Mayors from Dorval, Baie D'Urfe and Pointe-Claire are also trying to get their communities removed from the map. 

With files from Kelly Greig