International experts on flooding are in Montreal this weekend for a two-day conference on the subject.
Quebec environment minister David Huertel acknowledges that while the province has always dealt with flooding, climate change means they could become more frequent and more severe. He says the talk has shifted to improved urban planning and new technologies in the defense against future flooding.
Pierrefonds was one of the hardest hit areas of the island during the spring floods and many residents are still recovering from the damage sustained to their homes.
Resident Susan Bodnik tells CTV that not only could the damage have been limited, but that not enough is being done to prevent it from happening again. She says residents were promised a dike would be built on a bike path near the water, but not only has there not been any work done, she believes it won't be built before next spring.
Huertel says that while solutions are being discussed, it's a difficult process as the way water is managed in the northern Ottawa River basin affects areas such as the West Island. He says everyone is facing this new reality, and that there isn't a "one-size-fits-all" solution.
The provincial government is expected to hold a post-mortem on the floods and how officials handled the situation in December.