Staff Feature – Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund
April 29, 2021
In fall 2020 the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, announced funding commitments totaling more than $57 million towards two flood risk reduction projects in Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s (TRCA) jurisdiction, for applications submitted to the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) by the City of Toronto and the City of Brampton, with support from TRCA.
The funding received through DMAF is critical to helping TRCA and our partners achieve our mandate of reducing the risks of flooding to people and property.
TRCA staff from both Project Management Services and Engineering Services played an active role in preparing the successful applications, with support from Strategic Business Planning & Performance’s Kim Krawczyk and Max Smith.
Clockwise from top left: Crystal Robertson, Lisa Turnbull, Meg St. John, Rob Chan, Nick Lorrain, Melody Brown
While the funding announcements represent an important step towards the implementation of these initiatives, they also represent the output of two critical TRCA-led initiatives in flood-vulnerable neighbourhoods, namely:
1. Rockcliffe Flood Remediation and Transportation Feasibility Study in Toronto, of which the Jane Street Crossing is one component
2. Downtown Brampton Flood Protection Environmental Assessment in Brampton
About the Rockcliffe Flood Remediation and Transportation Feasibility Study
The $19 million investment announced on October 30, 2020 for the Jane Street Crossing represents an important component of the flood remediation work envisioned for Rockcliffe: the neighbourhood in TRCA’s jurisdiction most vulnerable to riverine flooding.
Melody Brown, Project Manager, is now leading the subsequent Environmental Assessment (EA), with support from Senior Manager Nick Lorrain, Senior Engineers Rob Chan and Qiao Ying, and Project Manager Wilfred Ho.
The application submission continued in parallel with the delivery of other flood remediation projects on the part of Engineering Services staff, as well as the Project Management Services staff who work collaboratively on these projects, namely Meg St John, Senior Project Manager and Crystal Robertson, Project Coordinator.
Staff also work collaboratively with the professional services consultants on the delivery of these projects and acknowledge the contributions of Steve Chipps from Wood Group to this effort.
About the Downtown Brampton Flood Protection Environmental Assessment (DBFPEA)
The $38 million investment for the Downtown Brampton Flood Protection Project announced on November 18, 2020 brings the City of Brampton closer to realizing the Riverwalk project. Meg St John has been leading the Downtown Brampton Flood Protection Environmental Assessment with support from Lisa Turnbull, Senior Manager, Project Management Services, Melody Brown, and Nick Lorrain.
Staff also acknowledge the significant contributions of the consultants engaged for the DBFPEA, namely Anneliese Grieve (consultant hired to manage EA), Marc Rose (AECOM, EA consultant), and Karen Hofbauer and Steve Braun (Matrix Solutions, water resources consultants).