MPPs Gélinas and Vanthof urge fast turnaround for resilient infrastructure in the North

QUEEN’S PARK – Following reports of major flooding in Northeastern Ontario, NDP MPPs France Gélinas (Nickel Belt) and John Vanthof (Timiskaming – Cochrane) released the following statement:

“Northern Ontarian communities are once again dealing with flooding that shows a clear gap in infrastructure compared to the southern parts of the province,” said Vanthof. “Small businesses in the North that are already operating tight margins are the backbone of our local economies, and they shouldn’t be left to absorb the costs of repeated disasters.

“We are working with the government to mitigate the impacts of the flooding to make sure that homes and lives are kept safe.”

“This is clearly not a one-off event,” said Gélinas “We are seeing a pattern tied to increasingly volatile weather patterns, and the province needs to respond accordingly.

"Communities in the North deserve infrastructure that is built to withstand these realities. We need timely investments to protect homes, businesses and lives before the next disaster hits.”