Conservation Halton to Conduct Flood Mitigation Study at Milton Jail

Published September 11, 2019 at 7:33 pm

A new study is going to be held soon in Milton, that hopes to find a way to reduce the impact of flooding potentially damaging a correctional centre.

A new study is going to be held soon in Milton, that hopes to find a way to reduce the impact of flooding potentially damaging a correctional centre.

Conservation Halton is set to begin a study on a flood risk mitigation project at Maplehurst Correctional Centre in Milton in collaboration with the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Infrastructure Ontario.

Maplehurst is a medium and maximum security facility with 1,500 inmates with 800 staff, which is managed by the province.

Three watercourses flow through the property. This means if a major storm were to occur, flood models indicate that half of the infrastructure at the correctional centre would be affected by riverine flooding.

A flood at the location would require a significant emergency response, impact the accessibility of roads, endanger the safety of inmates, staff and other community members, cause damage to the environment, and result in substantial economic impact.

To reduce these risks, Conservation Halton will be coordinating a one-year feasibility study to identify opportunities for restoration and options for flood mitigation at Maplehurst.

The results of this study will help create plans for a project to mitigate flood risks and reduce flood damage.

“My office along with the Ministry’s institutional staff are involved and supportive of this project, to help lower the impact Maplehurst would face in the event of a 100-year storm event,” said MPP Gill. “Both the Solicitor General’s Office and Infrastructure Ontario have provided $62,000 each in fiscal year 2018/19 for a total of $124,000 from the province.”

The one-year study will cost up to $281,110 with half of the funding from the Government of Canada’s National Disaster Mitigation Program and the other half from the provincial government.

The National Disaster Mitigation Program is a federal program that provides funding through provinces and territories to eligible entities, including public organizations such as conservation authorities, to address flood risks, invest in flood mitigation and build more resilient communities.

“With the increase in unpredictable weather events in recent years it has become more important to reduce the risk of flooding and prevent the loss of life and property, and that is what this project aims to do for the Milton community and Maplehurst Correctional Centre,” said Hassaan Basit, Chief Administrative Officer, Conservation Halton. “We are delighted to be able to support our funding partners and work towards building more resilient communities.”

On behalf of the Ministry of Government and Consumer Services (MGCS), Infrastructure Ontario (IO) manages, preserves and maintains a portfolio of thousands of provincial assets. 

IO is a partner in the study and has made health and safety a priority, so Conservation Halton claims collaborating with them on mitigation of flood-risk at the Maplehurst facility is “a natural fit.”

insauga's Editorial Standards and Policies advertising