Premier Philippe Couillard says global warming will cause more flooding in Quebec, so it's time to rethink how to use land in low-lying areas.
Couillard said in the National Assembly on Tuesday that the province will update the map of flood plains in Quebec and make the document available.
At the moment, would-be purchasers don't necessarily know if their homes are in an area prone to flooding, although insurance companies have such data.
Many municipalities have resisted making flood plain data public, saying it could anger residents whose property values would drop.
Parti Quebecois leader Jean-Francois Lisée said it was time for homeowners to learn if their property was at risk of flooding.
"I would say yes, it is time to redraw the maps. We should even publish them, I think. These maps should be accessible to the general public and, certainly, to municipalities," said Couillard.
"We all want to live near water if possible, it's a dream for many Quebecers, but we need to know the specific risk of flooding, and for that we need updated maps and maps that are accessible."
Couillard added he supports the idea of setting up a commission to study zoning, urban planning, and construction in flood-prone areas and how it should be altered.
Similar studies were undertaken following floods in the Saguenay in 1996 and after the 1998 ice storm and subsequent flooding.
