Relocating Homes and Businesses to Avoid Flooding

After the flooding in 2012, local leaders in Perth-Andover established a community consensus in support of creating a new long-term strategy to reduce the risk of loss and damage due to flooding. A central element of the strategy involved the use of vulnerability assessments and data from the 2012 flood to inform the relocation of homes, businesses, and other organizations at risk. While relocation was considered a permanent and long-lasting solution to the risk of flood damage, a significant limitation of this approach was obtaining the funding and public support for implementation. However, village leaders in Perth-Andover consistently and aggressively pressed for a comprehensive and permanent solution. Thus, after several years of planning, the Village of Perth-Andover and the Province of New Brunswick published a joint redevelopment plan. The plan’s bold vision was to develop a resilient, vibrant, and safe community in Perth-Andover. The plan was developed based on extensive scientific research and an engineering analysis of the risk of flooding in the region. The plan outlined a course of action that included investments to locate the downtown business area at an elevation that could realistically withstand future flooding events, considering the impacts of climate change on the severity of these future floods. Concept drawings, construction estimates, and identification of land requirements were all included in the comprehensive redevelopment plan. Funding from the provincial and federal government enabled Perth-Andover to plan significant investments in the relocation or flood-proofing of at-risk homes and public buildings such as the hospital and high school. Absent from the plan, however, was a mitigation program for non-residential structures affected by the 2012 flood and at risk of future flood damage. The Village lacked funds to support a relocation plan for at-risk businesses, religious groups, and other organizations.

Since the devastating flood and publishing of the redevelopment plan, most homes that experienced severe flood damage in 2012 were relocated or flood-proofed. Provincial disaster assistance and federal financial support were critical to supporting the implementation of actions that significantly reduced the risk of future flood damage to these homes. Perth-Andover’s primary focus in their adaptation efforts was to relocate homes revealed to be at high risk. Local, provincial, and federal collaboration to protect homeowners enabled the implementation of adaptive measures such as relocation and flood-proofing. The province also began the development of critical roads in the community. In particular, they worked to ensure access to the hospital during periods of high water and to correct safety issues with the intersection of Route #105 and Route #109. Provincial funding was used to construct a new building that would house boilers and utilities at a sufficient elevation for the local hospital. The 2012 flood severely damaged the hospital, prompting the need to demolish flooded portions of the hospital and to construct upgrades above the flood level to limit future risk. Extensive renovations to the local high school’s electrical and heating systems and lockers were completed in a similar fashion that mitigated future flood damage risk. As mentioned in the “planning” section, Perth-Andover failed to implement a mitigation program for businesses, churches, and other organizations affected by the 2012 flood. The Village lacked the funding to relocate or protect non-residential structures at risk. However, the Village of Perth-Andover indicated that it was willing to provide tax incentives for new buildings outside of the flood zone, a temporary reduction in utility costs for a relocated business, and assistance to cover the cost of moving power lines.

Local leadership, timely risk analysis, provincial disaster assistance, and federal financial support were crucial to the success of Perth-Andover’s redevelopment program. Most homes experiencing severe flood damage in 2012 are now much more resilient to future flooding events in the Village of Perth-Andover. Several critical road sections have been elevated, which improved safety and accessibility to essential services. While the Village did everything it could to protect high-risk non-residential structures, many businesses and other organizations remain vulnerable to future flood damages, as they lack the funds for relocation. Marianne Tiessen-Bell, the Mayor of the Village mentioned, “The ability of the business owners in our community to continue operating – providing goods and services and employing staff – depends on eliminating the risk of flooding once and for all. If flooding cannot be prevented, then the businesses need to move away from the river.” It is evident that the relocation of at-risk businesses was not an outcome of the implemented adaptation measures, but it remains a long-term objective for the Village of Perth-Andover. An important takeaway from Perth Andover’s adaptation efforts is the importance of provincial and federal support to enable measures such as flood-proofing and relocation. Funding from higher levels of government is essential for small municipalities such as Perth-Andover to recover from major disasters and build communities that are resilient to the impacts of climate change. The Mayor added, “We believe that the solution to Perth-Andover’s ice-jam flood risk – relocation grants, moving costs, forgivable or low-interest loans, rent subsidies, tax incentives, etc. – can serve as a model for other communities in Canada that suffer disasters.” Perth-Andover’s cooperation with various stakeholders and approach to successfully rebuilding their community after a devastating flood offers valuable lessons for municipalities enduring similar circumstances across Canada.

There are several next steps to Perth Andover’s adaptation efforts, beginning with the development of a mitigation program for non-residential structures at risk of future flood damage. The Village is seeking to secure land outside the flood zone that could be used by businesses. To provide businesses, churches, and other organizations with a long-term, lasting solution, Perth-Andover requires additional support from the federal and provincial governments. The Village’s next actions will include seeking funding to support the relocation or protection of non-residential structures at risk. Perth-Andover is working on implementing measures that incentivize relocation for businesses, despite a lack of sufficient funding. As mentioned earlier, tax incentives for new buildings outside of the flood zone, a temporary reduction in utility costs for a relocated business, and assistance to cover the cost of moving power lines are just some of the measures the Village is willing to implement to aid businesses and organizations in need. Village leaders continue to press for a comprehensive flood strategy that protects all homeowners, public buildings, and businesses.

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