The Government of Ontario has announced a $22 million investment into reconstructing six dams across the province to help mitigate flooding and keep people and communities safe.
The six dams being remediated are:
Agimak Lake Dam in the Township of Ignace
Manitou River Dam on Manitoulin Island
Baptiste Lake Dam in the Town of Bancroft
Kashegaba Lake Dam in the Municipality of Whitestone
Lyndhurst Dam in the Village of Lyndhurst
“Our government is taking action to ensure we have an infrastructure in place to protect people and communities across Ontario,” said Graydon Smith, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry and MPP for Parry Sound-Muskoka. “With this investment, we will be able to ensure these dams continue to meet provincial standards and prevent significant environmental, financial, and public safety issues associated with dam failure.”
The reconstruction of these six dams is part of the ministry’s long-term infrastructure plan as a critical priority to support public safety and the environment and is the result of recommendations made by the Auditor General. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry is responsible for the operation and maintenance of 310 dams across the province. The rehabilitation of the six dams will extend the useful service life of each for up to 100 years.
“The investment announced today by the Government of Ontario to extend the life of six major dams will limit flood risk throughout Ontario for nearly 100 years to come,” says Dr. Blair Feltmate, Head of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo. “With the growing challenge of increasingly severe rainfall events, these dams will help many homeowners avoid the financial and social burden of flooding.
