Flood watch: Montreal activates special response plan

Rising water levels from rain and the spring thaw have prompted Montreal, Laval and nearby municipalities to monitor rivers closely as minor flooding begins.

Several rivers across Quebec are under flood watch, with parts of the province receiving as much as 40 millimetres of rain since the start of the week, while the forecast is calling for warm, snow-melting temperatures and more rain in the coming days.

As of 4 p.m. on Wednesday, the province reported one case of medium flooding near Rawdon, Que., in the Lanaudière region north of Montreal. There were nine cases of minor floods and 19 areas under surveillance.

The rivers under watch are located across several regions, including in Lanaudière, the Outaouais region in western Quebec, the Laurentians north of Montreal, and the Quebec City area.

Parts of the Outaouais and Laurentians have already received up to 40 mm of rain since the start of the week, according to Environment Canada meteorologist Julien Pellerin. Those areas, as well as other southern Quebec regions stretching from Gatineau to the Eastern Townships, could be getting between 15 and 25 mm more by Friday morning, he said in a phone interview.

“That rain will fall into the regions where most of the problematic rivers are,” he said. He noted that temperatures could rise to 20 C on Saturday, in southern Quebec, speeding up snowmelt and sending more water into swollen rivers.
Pellerin said most of the flooding is expected to be localized only, largely because river levels were low last fall.

The City of Montreal has activated its flood intervention plan in response to rising water levels around the island. Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada said there wasn’t any flooding on Wednesday, but the city wants to be prepared. Crews have installed protective measures in vulnerable areas, and are ready to take further action, she added.

“Our absolute priority is the safety of Montrealers,” she said in a statement.

Environment Canada is calling for rain in Montreal later on Wednesday and to continue through Friday.

Is your property in a flood zone?

Quebec’s official flood zone data includes an interactive map of current flood zones. Enter your address or municipality to see whether your property falls within a designated risk area under the existing mapping.

Note that new boundaries — expected to expand coverage significantly — are still being finalized this spring.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on April 15, 2026.