A large number of Montrealers live in basement apartments and condos, but that could change in the future as municipal authorities consider banning the construction of such units in newly built homes in certain areas.
The discussion arose after the storm remnants of Hurricane Debby caused an estimated $2.5 billion in property damage in Quebec on Aug 8 and 9, making it the costliest disaster for insurers in the province.
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante told reporters this week that basement units would not be permitted in future projects in the Centre-Sud district and an area surrounding Parthenais Street. Both areas were badly flooded during the storm.
“We decided as a district to refine the regulations for new construction in areas likely to be flooded, where we will not allow new housing in basements,” said Plante.
The mayor said many property owners have been unable to obtain insurance due to sewer backups that led to costly damage. She has asked the province to increase its disaster compensation program to help compensate those afflicted by the water damage.
Plante’s comments echoed statements made by a fellow city official a day earlier.
“In the future, we will no longer be able to have basement housing,” Maja Vodanović told reporters.
Vodanović, who serves on Montreal's executive committee and is responsible for water, said that even if the city doubled the capacity of drainage and sewer pipes, it would still be insufficient to deal with such extreme weather episodes.
Montreal housing group Écohabitation issued a series of recommendations on its website advising Montrealers on how best to prevent flooding in their homes. The list includes, using watertight garage doors, watertight doors and windows suitable for wet environments.