Some 30 per cent more Quebec homes to be in flood zones when new mapping takes effect

Quebec’s environment minister says about 30 per cent more homes could be located in flood zones when new maps come into effect next year.

Benoit Charette says the number of homes in the province’s new flood prevention framework will likely increase to 35,000 from about 25,000.

Quebec estimated last year that 77,000 homes could be in flood zones, but that number has since been downgraded.

The new maps have not been published and the new framework only comes into effect in 2026.

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Next year, the Quebec government will identify flood risks on a categorical scale — low, moderate, high and very high.

The existing system identifies risk based on the probability that a certain level of flooding will happen in any given year.