PERTH-ANDOVER, N.B. – Jennifer Eagan says it’s time for the provincial government to start trying to prevent floods, instead of cleaning them up.
Eagan owns the Victoria Villa, a special care home that sits along Perth-Andover’s downtown. The facility suffered over $400,000 after flooding hit the village in 2012.
“The government doesn’t seem to want to protect us,” she said.
Perth-Andover saw high water in 2008. In 2009, the village declared a local state of emergency. Three years later, the flood of 2012 resulted in the destruction of more than 75 buildings in the community.
Last year, the village had a voluntary evacuation for three days.
Last weekend, an ice jam prompted the village to declare another local state of emergency and a 48-hour mandatory evacuation of more than 300 people.
“They need to dredge the river or take the piers out downriver where it keeps getting fetched up every year, or get an icebreaker,” Eagan said.
“Something other than a study. They have done studies after studies and they’re not worth the paper they’re written on.”
Premier Brian Gallant visited the village Monday, where he thanked emergency officials for their help and vigilance.
When asked about what the province could do for the village moving forward, Gallant said his focus was on the current situation.
“We’re going to focus on ensuring the safety of people in the region,” he said. “We certainly will be open to having conversations with people on how to keep people safe in the region moving forward.”
Perth-Andover’s Chief Administrative Office Dan Dionne wants to see the province start to help business owners in the village.
“It’s an extremely stressful time for them every year and they’re frustrated like it’s happened too many times over the past few years,” he said.
EMO warning of possible flooding after heavy rain
While water levels in Perth-Andover have gone down, the St. John River remains unpredictable.
The province’s Emergency Measures Organization is warning of possible flooding with heavy rain in the forecast Tuesday.
River Watch says water levels are expected to rise over the next few days and ice jams could form on rivers in the province. Ice is currently moving on river systems including the St. John.
Perth-Andover remains under a local state of emergency but the mandatory evacuation order was removed Monday.
Environment Canada says more than 25 millimetres of rain is expected by Wednesday morning across the province.
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