International experts have converged on Montreal for a two-day conference on how to best manage floods, while West Islanders affected by this past spring’s floods said they wish the city would listen to their own advice.

Quebec Environment Minister David Heurtel said that while Quebec has always had to deal with floods, climate change has presented a new reality in which they could become more frequent and severe. He said that presents a challenge not just for the provincial government but for municipalities and citizen groups and that new techniques and technologies will need to be mobilized to reduce the damage. The gathering of experts has provided an opportunity to exchange ideas on how to best accomplish that, he said.

“We’re talking more about urban planning, how can we use these new technologies, these new ways of looking at flood management to influence how we plan our territory,” he said. “We’ve had experts from Quebec and around the world… this is a worldwide challenge.”

It’s a challenge that’s being felt on a very personal level for those still trying to recover from the devastating spring floods that forced thousands of Quebecers from their homes.

Pierrefonds resident Susan Bodnik said the damage could have been prevented and that not enough has been done to ensure the catastrophe isn’t repeated.

“We were promised there would be a dike on the bike path to prevent future floods but so far nothing and it looks like nothing will be done before the spring,” she said. “It’s a big concern for everybody.”

Heurtel said solutions are coming but that flooding in the West Island isn’t just a local problem but one that requires large-scale thinking.

“The way you’re going to manage the water in the Northern Ottawa River Basin is going to affect the West Island of Montreal,” he said.

“Everybody’s reacting to this,” he added. “It’s not like Quebec is behind anybody. I think everybody is facing this new reality and this new challenge. Not only do we have to find the best ways but it’s not like we have a one-size-fits-all solution. You have to find the right solution for each environment.”

The Quebec government is scheduled to hold a post-mortem on the floods and how they were handled on Dec. 19.