Fort McMurray's Waterways subdivision given green light to rebuild

The Alberta government has assured theresidents ofa fire-ravaged community inFort McMurraytheycan rebuild even though the subdivisionsits on a floodplain.

• Fire-ravaged, flood-prone Fort McMurray community wants to rebuild despite risk

"This clears the path in some respects of people looking for some answers," Mayor Melissa Blake said Tuesday.

The permission from the province was required because it will soon pass legislationpreventing any communityfrombuilding in zonesprone to flooding.

The Alberta governmenttold themunicipality it will provide disaster recovery funding in case of a future flood.

Strings attached

Before rebuilding, residents must signlegal documents that indicateowners understand the risks of building on a flood plain.

Those documents must be transferred with the property titles,the municipality said.

"It does serve to warn a potential purchaser that you are building on a flood plain and there are some risks," said DavidLeflar,Wood Buffalodirector of legal and legislative services.

"We have a duty to warn people."

The municipalitymust also build a flood wall or levee that lowersthe risk of a floodfor the community whichsits on the Clearwater River.

The municipality has approved design money for the wall but no date was given for its construction.

• Fire and flood: the challenges of rebuilding in Fort McMurray's most flood prone-neighbourhood

Despite the assurance from the province and the municipality's intention to construct flood-prevention measures, Waterways residents are rebuilding at their own risks, said Coun.AllanVinni.

"There's never a guarantee that flood mitigation from an engineering standpoint won't fail," hesaid.

Vinni also said disaster relief funding mightonly be available for severe or 100-year floods.

In other words, less serious floods might not qualify for provincial aid.

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Statement from Municipal Affairs Minister Danielle Larivee:

"As someone who lived through a devastating wildfire in my own hometown of Slave Lake, I know the emotional toll large scale disasters have on residents and communities. The rebuilding process is not easy or simple, but it's important that residents are involved in the decision making about what their rebuilt community will look like. We look forward to standing with the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and the people of Fort McMurray as they make the important decisions around how to rebuild their neighbourhoods and region."