The mayor of Beaconsfield is calling the Legault government 'incompetent' and says his trust in them is broken.
Despite there being no flooding in Beaconsfield in 2017 or 2019, part of the community is now considered at risk for flooding by Quebec.
The province's updated flood maps were unveiled Monday, and though 30 municipalities have been removed, the flood zone areas in the West Island remain unchanged.
Mayor Georges Bourelle said he's stunned and angry to see that despite his efforts, Beaconsfield is still on the map.
The first version of the flood zone map, based on areas that flooded in 2017 and 2019, was revealed earlier this month and on it, almost 200 properties in Beaconsfield were identified as at risk.
That means there's a moratorium for building or rebuilding homes in that zone.
On the updated map, Beaconsfield remains virtually unchanged despite changes in nearby Dorval, even though no homes in Beaconsfield were flooded..
"Can you imagine somebody trying to sell their home that's now in the flood zone map? The value of that house is going to decrease substantially," he said.
Bourelle said he has no idea how Beaconsfield wound up on the maps, and that there was no consultation with Baie-d'Urfe, Beaconsfield, Pointe-Claire or Dorval.
He said there's been a complete lack of communication, making him wonder if the West Island is 'even on the map' with this government.
Bourelle said he will lobby the Quebec government before the Aug. 19 deadline for final revisions.
"It's creating a lot of stress, a lot of irreparable damage to the residents and in fact, it's absolutely unnecessary. It's not justified and it's not called for," he said.
Bourelle said residents may at some point be encouraged to pursue legal means to be excluded, adding that he felt the process was rushed so that Quebec could put out a new map.
