Way back in autumn of last year, Greater Napanee mayor Marg Isbester challenged the notion that a small municipality could have its complaints of rising water levels taken seriously by the federal government.
Before Plan 2014, the International Joint Commission and rising water levels were mentioned in a daily newscast, it was being talked about in town hall meetings in municipalities such as Greater Napanee. It started to gain momentum when six of those communities living along the lakeshore-Belleville, Brighton, Prince Edward County, Quinte West, Tyendinaga and Greater Napanee-united their voices and wouldn’t be brushed aside by the IJC.
“This is not just going to be sending a nice letter off and saying we want these things done,” Isbester said in a September council meeting. “I’m happy with all the municipalities that are coming in (and hoping) that we’re going to have a good result. If not, we’re going to have to change our minds about emergency response. We’re going to have to change our minds about what we need to do to be ready. Bottom line is we need to be able to protect our residents and help them protect their property….We just can’t let this go on.”
They’ve continued to push the issue, holding regular meetings and putting constant pressure on the higher levels of government to take action. As cold as it is now, the fact is there’s just a few days left in February. It’s not completely unreasonable to think the spring thaw could begin within the next three weeks. Once the snow is replaced with rain and ice begins to melt, it’s right back into what has now become an annual flood season for those who live near a large body of water.
Hastings Lennox and Addington MP Derek Sloan joined the cause shortly after being elected and has recently taken to writing a letter to the prime minister. Suddenly the small town mayors and reeves have a foot in the door in Ottawa.
That’s not to say the battle is over. Truth be told, those who were hit hard by flood damage last year probably shouldn’t be too optimistic about this coming wet season. With international agencies, politicians from both sides of the border and the highly influential shipping industry all offering their own take on the matter, it’s unlikely anything significant will be put into place within the next three months. But it’s at least a start. Those six little municipalities have now shed a national spotlight on the matter and their support only seems to be growing.
Another year of flood damage will only serve to further illustrate their point.
-Adam Prudhomme