“Historic” rainfall causes widespread flooding in Ontario’s Niagara area

As former Chair of the Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) Ontario Unit, Nicholas Hamm used to look for disasters where the organization could serve.

In July, a disaster came looking for him.

That’s when the Niagara region of Ontario, where he lives, was hit by three large storms that dumped over 300 millimetres (one foot) of rain on places like St. Catharines, Jordan, Vineland, Camden, Beamsville, and surrounding areas.

According to the City of St. Catharines, the “historic” rainfall overwhelmed infrastructure, including roads, sewers, and drainage systems, causing flooding that led to thousands of flooded basements.

“I retired two years ago from serving with MDS to help people affected by disasters across North America, but now I have a disaster in my own backyard,” said Hamm, who lives in Vineland. Hamm’s own house was spared from flooding, but neighbours weren’t so lucky.

Two other local MDS volunteers, Martin Durksen and Chris Lepp, made immediate contact with Cathy McGrath, emergency manager for the town of Lincoln, who was able to share a list of homeowners in need. Daryl Martin, vice-chair of the MDS Ontario Unit, also responded to help organize volunteers and arrange for MDS equipment to be brought to the area.

“With the large number of people who were affected by the flooding, it’s taking a long time for insurance companies to assess the damage,” said Hamm, who served with MDS for over 18 years.

“But those basements need to be pumped out and cleaned up before mould starts to grow and set in.”

Local MDS volunteers help gut a basement that was affected by the Niagara region flooding.

By springing into action in their local community and connecting with the MDS Ontario Unit, a grassroots MDS response was born, with Durksen, Lepp, and Hamm leading the way. With so much need, MDS is asking for volunteers in the Niagara area who can serve for a day or longer.

“Local volunteers are best,” Hamm said, noting that MDS is teaming up with Samaritan’s Purse and Christian Aid Ministries to divide up the work.

Currently, about four to six volunteers are serving each day, said Daryl Martin, but more are needed. If MDS isn’t able to utilize everyone who shows up, they will be assigned to houses being cleaned out by Samaritan’s Purse.

Once the clean-up phase is finished, the Unit will decide how it might respond with longer-term repair work, Martin said.

“There are always people who fall through the cracks, people who are elderly and disabled or who lack insurance who need our help,” he said.

Cathy McGrath is grateful for what MDS is doing after about 1,000 homes experienced basement flooding in the town of Lincoln, which takes in the communities of Vineland, Jordan, Beamsville and Camden.

“I can’t say enough good about how much we appreciate them,” she said. “MDS mobilized so quickly to help our residents. The day after the storm they were calling.”

People in the Niagara area who want to volunteer can do so by emailing Daryl at darylmartin.cows@gmail.com or (519) 505-6639.

John Longhust, MDS writer