Canada: Why Toronto is billed as “progressive” in reducing flood risk
By Greg Meckbach
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Since then, the City of Toronto has made good progress in basement flood protection, Sandink says. He cited as an example Toronto’s ban on construction (unless the resident gets an exemption) of below-grade garages for residential buildings.
Below grade garages with “reverse slope” driveways (which go downhill towards the building) “have been identified not only by Toronto but other cities throughout Ontario has risk factors for basement flooding,” Sandink said. “By and large they have very much discouraged the use of reverse slope driveways [in new construction].”
In 2006, the City of Toronto approved the Basement Flooding Protection Program, which includes construction of surface storage ponds and upgrades to storm and sanitary sewers. As part of that program, the city’s requires storm drainage systems to accommodate a one-in-100 year storm.
The City of Toronto has budgeted $1.542 billion from 2018 through 2027 for basement flood protection projects, City Council budget committee chair Gary Crawford toldCanadian Underwriter earlier.
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