After 2nd major flooding event in 11 years, Toronto must adapt better to changing climate | Canada News Media
Connect with us

News

After 2nd major flooding event in 11 years, Toronto must adapt better to changing climate

Published

2 months ago

 on

In 2013, Toronto was hit with a massive storm. In just 90 minutes, the city received 126 millimetres of rain.

Roads flooded, with drivers abandoning their cars, and stairs leading to subway stations became urban waterfalls. The Don Valley Parkway (DVP), the main north-south thoroughfare into the city, was closed as the adjacent Don River overran its banks, spilling onto the roadway. A GO Transit commuter train was stranded with 1,400 passengers on board. Nearly 300,000 residents were left without power.

And on Tuesday — 11 years and eight days after that historic flood — it’s déjà vu for the largest, most populous city in Canada.

This time, the rain started in the morning around 9 a.m., catching many commuters off guard. It eased up for a bit until another, much more potent storm system moved in less than an hour later, lasting until the afternoon. Shortly after, power outages began to pop up across the city.

Once again, images and videos inundated social media: Toronto’s Union Station was flooded, as was the DVP and city streets; GO Transit halted service temporarily; cars were abandoned.

A GO Train is stranded in flood water during a massive rain storm that hit Toronto in July 2013. (Winston Neutel/Canadian Press)

Following the 2013 flood, talk abounded about how Toronto needed to better adapt, as climate change was likely to make these heavy rain events more frequent and more severe. And while it’s too early to attribute Tuesday’s rainfall to climate change, by all appearances, the city still seems unprepared for a major rainfall event.

As greenhouse gases continue to be pumped into our atmosphere, the effects of climate change will continue to be felt across Canada and the world.

“Climate change is not going anywhere.… These events are going to continue to increase in frequency and severity,” said Kathryn Bakos, managing director of finance and resilience at the University of Waterloo’s Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation.

“As temperatures continue to rise, you’re going to have more moisture in the system. So with more moisture and energy, you’re going to have bigger storms, larger precipitation events, with more water coming down over shorter periods of time,” she said, “so storms are going to come down with even greater force.

“And that’s exactly what we’re seeing all across the GTA and across Canada, as well.”

Toronto’s Union Station flooding due to heavy rain

Union Station’s Bay Concourse Hall is dealing with flooding as a result of Tuesday’s torrential rainfall.

But it’s not just about climate change that’s exacerbating these events, she said.

“Climate change isn’t the only driver in the system. You’re seeing aging municipal infrastructure, infrastructure that never incorporated adaptation,” she said. “It’s also not taking the increase the influx of people. We have more people utilizing the infrastructure.”

Need for more natural habitat

It’s also the concrete jungle effect, she noted.

Over time, Toronto has removed natural infrastructure like wetlands, grasslands and forested areas, which act like natural sponges. Instead, concrete roadways, driveways and buildings stand in their place.

“The infrastructure that we have is designed really for the historical conditions, and these events have a very different nature,” Slobodan Simonovic, professor emeritus at Western University’s department of civil and environmental engineering told CBC News.

He said that pressure on governments and forethought into budgeting for these events is needed for the future.

Is Toronto’s infrastructure built to withstand intense rain? This expert says no

Slobodan Simonovic, professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering at Western University, says many cities in Canada are woefully behind when it comes to infrastructure that can withstand flash floods.

“Climate change is real,” said Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow on Tuesday during a press scrum. “We are expecting almost a doubling of the number of severe rain storm days in 15 years. So we have to redouble our efforts to have mitigating actions, because we have to do more prevention work.”

Chow also noted that the city has provided more incentives to homeowners to prevent flooding in homes.

She said the city has freed up $2 billion after the province uploaded the cost of the DVP and the Gardiner Expressway, which is being put toward Toronto’s aging transit system and roads. However, she noted the city is still $26 billion and more than 10 years behind in infrastructure work.

Bakos said the city has made some improvements.

“I think they’ve really recognized that they have a very big issue. Infrastructure improvements are being made, and I think they recognize that more needs to be done, as well.”

Yet it may be frustrating for commuters and residents who see the same areas flooded time and again, such as the DVP and Lake Shore Boulevard.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says that because the city was able to upload maintenance of the Don Valley Parkway and the Gardiner Expressway to the province, it can now add $2 billion of funding toward the TTC, roadways, hydro, sewage management and other infrastructure projects. However, Chow says the city is still $26 billion and over 10 years behind in infrastructure work.

Adaptation is the key, Bakos said.

“Every dollar that you put into place for adaptation, on average, saves $3 to $8 in cost avoidance over a 10-year period. So it’s a more cost-effective strategy to become resilient and adapt to these extreme weather events now, rather than waiting in the future.”

 

Source link

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

News

Florida State asks judge to rule on parts of suit against ACC, hoping for resolution without trial

Published

41 mins ago

 on

September 13, 2024

By

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State has asked a judge to decide key parts of its lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference without a trial, hoping for a quicker resolution and path to a possible exit from the league.

Florida State requested a partial summary judgment from Circuit Judge John Cooper in a 574-page document filed earlier this week in Leon County, the Tallahassee-based school’s home court.

Florida State sued the ACC in December, challenging the validity of a contract that binds member schools to the conference and each other through media rights and claiming the league’s exit fees and penalties for withdrawal are exorbitant and unfair.

In its original compliant, Florida State said it would cost the school more than half a billion dollars to break the grant of rights and leave the ACC.

“The recently-produced 2016 ESPN agreements expose that the ACC has no rights to FSU home games played after it leaves the conference,” Florida State said in the filing.

Florida State is asking a judge to rule on the exit fees and for a summary judgment on its breach of contract claim, which says the conference broke its bylaws when it sued the school without first getting a majority vote from the entire league membership.

The case is one of four active right now involving the ACC and one of its members.

The ACC has sued Florida State in North Carolina, claiming the school is breaching a contract that it has signed twice in the last decade simply by challenging it.

The judge in Florida has already denied the ACC’s motion to dismiss or pause that case because the conference filed first in North Carolina. The conference appealed the Florida decision in a hearing earlier this week.

Clemson is also suing the ACC in South Carolina, trying to find an affordable potential exit, and the conference has countersued that school in North Carolina, too.

Florida State and the ACC completed court-mandated mediation last month without resolution.

The dispute is tied to the ACC’s long-term deal with ESPN, which runs through 2036, and leaves those schools lagging well behind competitors in the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten when it comes to conference-payout revenue.

Florida State has said the athletic department is in danger of falling behind by as much as $40 million annually by being in the ACC.

“Postponing the resolution of this question only compounds the expense and travesty,” the school said in the latest filing.

The ACC has implemented a bonus system called a success initiative that will reward schools for accomplishments on the field and court, but Florida State and Clemson are looking for more as two of the conference’s highest-profile brands and most successful football programs.

The ACC evenly distributes revenue from its broadcast deal, though new members California, Stanford and SMU receive a reduced and no distribution. That money is used to fund the pool for the success initiative.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading

News

Australia’s Michael Matthews earns third win at Quebec cycling GP

Published

41 mins ago

 on

September 13, 2024

By

QUEBEC – Australian road cyclist Michael Matthews raced to victory at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec on Friday.

Matthews earned a record third career victory in Quebec City. He was previously tied with Slovakia’s Peter Sagan with two wins.

The Jayco-AlUla rider won the fastest edition of the Quebec race on the UCI World Tour calendar.

Matthews, who claimed titles in 2018 and 2019, edged out Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay and France’s Rudy Molard in a thrilling sprint.

Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar, the heavy favourite, was unable to follow through with his attack launched just over two kilometres from the finish line. He finished in seventh place.

Pogacar will look to redeem himself at the Montreal cycling Grand Prix on Sunday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading

News

Whitecaps loan Herdman to CPL’s Cavalry, sign two reserve players to first-team deals

Published

41 mins ago

 on

September 13, 2024

By

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps have loaned midfielder Jay Herdman to Cavalry FC of the Canadian Premier League and rewarded two Whitecaps FC 2 players with MLS contracts.

Midfielder Jeevan Badwal signed as a homegrown player through 2027, with options for 2028 and 2029, while forward Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau signed an MLS contract through 2025, with club options for 2026 and 2027.

Both have been playing for the Whitecaps’ MLS Next Pro team along with the 20-year-old Herdman, the son of Toronto FC coach John Herdman.

The moves were made before Friday’s MLS and CPL roster freeze.

Born in New Zealand while his father was working for the New Zealand Football Federation, Jay Herdman was also part of the New Zealand soccer team at the Paris Olympics with three appearances including two starts. Herdman’s loan deal runs through the end of the CPL season.

“Jay is an important signing for us, who will provide another attacking option for the run-in,” Cavalry coach and GM Tommy Wheeldon Jr. said in a statement. “He’s a player that we’ve been tracking since we played against Whitecaps in pre-season and he has very good quality, with terrific energy and the ability to contribute to goals.

“With the recent injury to Mael Henry, Jay’s positional profile and age helps us with on-field options and minutes that count towards the league’s required 2,000 U-21 domestic minutes during the regular season.”

Badwal, an 18-year-old from suburban Surrey, is the 26th academy player to sign an MLS contract with the Whitecaps.

“Having joined our academy in 2019, Jeevan continues to progress through our club and takes every challenge in stride,” Whitecaps FC sporting director Axel Schuster said in a statement. “He is comfortable on the ball, positionally sound, and does the simple things very well. We are excited for Jeevan to make the next step in his young career.”

Badwal has made 19 appearances with Whitecaps 2 this season, scoring two goals and adding three assists. A Canadian youth international, he started all three matches for Canada at the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup

Badwal made his first-team debut off the bench in the first leg of the Canadian Championship semifinal against Pacific FC.

Chateau was originally selected 74th overall by the Whitecaps in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft after spending two years at St. John’s University.

The 22-year-old from Ottawa signed an MLS NEXT Pro contract with Whitecaps FC 2 in March. He leads Whitecaps FC 2 in goal-scoring this season with eight goals across 21 appearances (including eight starts).

“Nicolas leads MLS NEXT Pro in shots on target, has a very strong work rate and willpower. We are looking forward to seeing his growth as he builds on his young professional career,” said Schuster.

Chateau made his first-team debut as a second-half substitute at CF Montreal on July 6.

Herdman, who joined the Whitecaps academy as a 13-year-old, has made 19 appearances for Whitecaps FC 2 in 2024, scoring six goals and adding three assists. He made his MLS debut in April as a second-half substitute in a 2-0 victory at the Seattle Sounders.

Internationally, Herdman has represented New Zealand 29 times across the U-19, U-20, and U-23 sides. He was part of New Zealand’s squad at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, starting three matches at the tournament and scoring against Uzbekistan.

The Whitecaps host San Jose on Saturday while Cavalry entertains Atletico Ottawa on Sunday.

—

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.



Source link

Continue Reading

Trending

Exit mobile version