Toronto cleans up after storm as PM calls for better infrastructure

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Cleanup crews worked to get the Greater Toronto Area back to normal on Wednesday, a day after a torrential downpour flooded major roadways and left thousands without power, as the prime minister said the city needs more investment in infrastructure to withstand challenges linked to climate change.

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At a press briefing in Toronto, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Tuesday’s flooding “a significant event,” and said the city and surrounding area need to be prepared for similar disruptions in the future.

“The reality is … that with climate change, there are going to be more extreme weather events,” he said.

“We also need to continue to be making investments in resilient infrastructure that can handle what the future is holding,” Trudeau told reporters.

Tuesday’s deluge also caused commuter havoc, with massive flooding shutting down several major routes and terminals, including Toronto’s Union Station, Don Valley Parkway, and Lake Shore Boulevard. All have since reopened after the floodwaters dispersed.

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There were no reported injuries, but the scale of the disruption was evident in a series of images showing washed out roads with cars nearly submerged in water.

In Mississauga, flooding forced the evacuation of about 113 residents from the Tyndall nursing home, the fire service said.

The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority said water levels in the Don River are falling as the cleanup continues, but caution is still required around all bodies of water.

The authority said in a statement that some rivers within the GTA are still experiencing higher flows of water due to Tuesday’s heavy rainfall, causing hazardous conditions including slippery and unstable river banks. At the height of the storm, more than 100 mm of rain was reported to have fallen in certain areas, it said.

Meanwhile, Toronto Hydro said around 3,300 customers remained without power Wednesday morning and restoration efforts are ongoing.

Rapper Drake was among the many Toronto residents impacted by the extreme weather, taking to Instagram to share a video of ankle-deep brown water flooding a room in his Bridle Path megamansion.

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