Dundas residents blame the city for floods

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A Dundas family is seeking legal action against the city after their home was devastated by last week’s historic storm. They say the city was negligent and allowed a nearby grate to be blocked by debris sending rain water funneling into their home.

After a massive amount of rain fell in twelve hours, the quiet creek in Paul Hopkins’ backyard transformed into a roaring tide. The grate by his house was completely clogged with debris, a mess the Hopkins family says the city could have removed.

“We weren’t physically asking for them to send someone in the water, just get some of the branches back so some of the water could move through. We wouldn’t have had this damage, it’s the city’s responsibility,” said Hopkins.

He says the approximately $30,000 in damages isn’t covered by insurance because the flood is considered ‘an act of God.’

Ward 13 Councilor Arlene Vanderbeek says she was told by city crews that flooding hot spots were clear before the rainfall.

The city’s risk management manager told CHCH that crews aren’t deployed during heavy rainfall for safety reasons but did say that an investigation is underway to see if any negligence occurred.