Update on City's Response and Recovery Efforts After July 1 Extreme Weather Event
- Clarke Kelly
- Jul 13
- 3 min read
July 12, 2026
Here's an update of the City’s coordinated response and recovery efforts following the July 1 extreme weather event from Ryan Perrault, GM of Emergency and Protective Services for the City of Ottawa.
To date:
The City has received 5,671 reports of basement flooding.
Solid Waste Services has removed more than 2,100 tonnes of storm-related debris from impacted communities.
The City has provided temporary emergency accommodation to 100 residents from 59 households and has addressed all known requests.
Ottawa Fire Services and St. John Ambulance have completed more than 2,250 wellness visits.
More than 550 residents have accessed information and support through the Community Information Hubs
Community Information Hubs and Sessions
On July 12, City Manager Wendy Stephanson and I attended the Community Information Session at Ben Franklin Place, where we had the opportunity to connect directly with more residents impacted by the July 1 extreme weather event. We were struck by the resilience demonstrated by residents and grateful for their thoughtful engagement. Many residents also expressed their appreciation for Council and the many Councillors in attendance, whose advocacy and direct engagement with affected communities have been essential to informing and supporting the City’s response. The City’s Emergency Coordination Centre is taking all feedback from these sessions to enhance the City’s response.
Additional information sessions are planned, per below. A formal Public Service Announcement has been issued.
Monday, July 13:
John G. Mlacak Centre, 4 to 8 pm
Tuesday, July 14:
Maki House, 11 am to 3 pm
Tuesday, July 14
Nepean Sportsplex, 4 to 8 pm
Note: The Community Information Hubs will conclude at the end of the day, as resources will transition to support the Community Information Sessions.
Household Hazardous Waste Collection (including e-waste)
A reminder that the temporary household hazardous waste collection sites at Lakeview Public School (35 Corkstown Road) and Sir Guy Carleton Secondary School (55 Centrepointe Drive) are closed today and will reopen with increased capacity on Monday, July 13. Both locations will be open Monday, July 13, Tuesday, July 14, and Wednesday, July 15, from 8 am to 4 pm, to accept eligible storm-related household hazardous waste.
Wellness Visits and Human Needs
While homeowners remain responsible for removing damaged materials from their properties and should work with their insurance providers and qualified contractors where appropriate, wellness visits are intended to identify vulnerable residents who may have no available supports. Of the more than 2,250 wellness visits completed to date, 195 households were identified as requiring additional support. Staff are following up directly in these situations to ensure information and assistance is provided and expect to have completed these calls by the end of the day.
Public Information
The City will continue to provide residents with regular updates through Ottawa.ca and the City's social media channels. Current communications focus on the community information sessions and ongoing response efforts. Additional communications are being prepared to encourage residents to let the City know if they have been impacted. This will help inform the need for additional City supports in unknown areas, including waste collection and wellness visits.
Another e-mail will be delivered to the more than 5,600 people who logged service requests with 3-1-1 since the July 1 extreme weather event. Content of the email will include notice of the upcoming community information sessions.
Ottawa Public Health continues to share public health guidance related to flood recovery, including information on mold prevention, safe clean-up practices, and other health considerations.
The toolkit of resources will continue to be updated as new information comes in. Today’s "By the Numbers" infographic is also attached, which will be shared on the City's social media channels.
Contact
For non-emergency assistance, residents are encouraged to submit a request online or call 3-1-1. Members of Council are encouraged to continue making use of the Councillor Liaison function in the Emergency Coordination Centre.
For the latest information on community information session dates, locations and hours of operation, as well as storm-related waste collection, available human need support programs, insurance and claims, impacts to City services and roads, and guidance on property damage and repairs, visit Ottawa.ca.
Ryan Perrault
GM of Emergency and Protective Services
City of Ottawa
July 13: The City provided an additional update on Monday afternoon. You can watch that here.
