Bay Ward councillor makes stormwater upgrades her first priority after Canada Day flooding
Re-elected councillor Theresa Kavanagh has toured 12 flood locations in Ward 7 and is pushing the City to accelerate drainage repairs after the Canada Day storm left close to 8,000 residents with flooded basements.
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Re-elected Bay Ward Coun. Theresa Kavanagh has named fixing her ward's stormwater system her first priority after the Canada Day 2026 storm flooded close to 8,000 residents, including her own home.
"During the summer, it was made glaringly obvious that the stormwater system is a problem," Kavanagh told Capital Current by telephone. Ward 7 covers Crystal Beach, Crystal Bay, Lakeview, Britannia, Belltown, McKellar Park, Carlingwood and Woodpark along the Ottawa River.
12 locations surveyed
Kavanagh has toured 12 locations throughout Ward 7 with a senior City water engineer to review each flooding situation. "They're all different," she told Capital Current. "Every one of them has to be looked at individually in terms of the situations."
Her own Belltown home was flooded during the storm, and basement repairs are still underway.
The Lakeview ditch rehabilitation project starts in fall 2026 and is expected to be complete by fall 2028, the City of Ottawa says. Funds are approved for design and preparatory work. The City says additional funding will be required before construction begins.
Kavanagh said she had secured funding for the Lakeview ditches before the Canada Day storm hit, but construction had not started in time. "I think it might have been wonderful if it had, but it is getting done this spring," she told Capital Current.
Funding gap
A new Ontario program to lower home-building costs has cut the development charge revenue the City uses to fund stormwater upgrades, Kavanagh said. She told Capital Current she is pressing both the federal and provincial governments to fill the gap: "I am hoping the federal government and the province is going to chip in and make it work because it's absolutely essential."
"Climate change is clearly making it so that it could happen again," she said. "They're afraid of it happening again every time it rains."
The work touches her campaign promise on aging infrastructure and flood protection, which she described as a core priority for her new term.
Bay Ward residents who flooded on Canada Day 2026 can contact Councillor Kavanagh's office to report their address and ask about the timeline for repairs in their area. The Lakeview ditch project is set to begin in fall 2026 and finish by fall 2028, with construction funding still being secured. More Ottawa local news is at /on/ottawa-2026/news.
Questions this story answers
What is Theresa Kavanagh's first priority in her new term as Bay Ward councillor?
Re-elected Bay Ward Coun. Theresa Kavanagh told Capital Current that fixing the ward's stormwater and drainage infrastructure is her first priority. She named the stormwater system a problem made clear by the Canada Day 2026 storm, which flooded close to 8,000 residents in Ward 7, including her own home in Belltown.
What is the Lakeview ditch rehabilitation project?
The Lakeview ditch rehabilitation is a City of Ottawa project to improve drainage ditches in the Lakeview area of Bay Ward. The City says work starts in fall 2026 and will be complete by fall 2028. Funds are approved for design and preparatory work. Additional funding is required before construction begins, Capital Current reported on November 11, 2026.
How many people were affected by the Canada Day 2026 flooding in Bay Ward?
Councillor Theresa Kavanagh told Capital Current that close to 8,000 residents were affected by the Canada Day 2026 flooding in Ward 7. She said her own home in the Belltown neighbourhood was flooded and that basement repairs are still ongoing.
What locations has Kavanagh toured to assess flood damage?
Kavanagh told Capital Current she has toured 12 locations throughout Ward 7 with a senior City water engineer to review flooding situations. She said each location is different and must be assessed on its own. Ward 7 covers Crystal Beach, Crystal Bay, Lakeview, Britannia, Belltown, McKellar Park, Carlingwood and Woodpark.
What is Kavanagh asking the federal and provincial governments to do?
Kavanagh told Capital Current she hopes the federal and provincial governments will contribute funding for stormwater upgrades, saying the work is essential. She noted that a new Ontario program to reduce home-building costs has cut the development charge revenue the City uses to fund stormwater improvements, creating a funding gap.
Where can Bay Ward residents follow updates on stormwater repairs?
Bay Ward residents can follow updates through the City of Ottawa and through Councillor Kavanagh's office. The Lakeview ditch rehabilitation is set to start fall 2026 and finish fall 2028. Capital Current reported on Kavanagh's stormwater priorities on November 11, 2026. More Ottawa local news is at /on/ottawa-2026/news.
What ward does Theresa Kavanagh represent?
Theresa Kavanagh represents Ward 7, also called Bay Ward, on Ottawa City Council. The ward stretches along the Ottawa River and covers Crystal Beach, Crystal Bay, Lakeview, Britannia, Belltown, McKellar Park, Carlingwood and Woodpark, Capital Current reported.
Did Kavanagh have a campaign promise about flooding and infrastructure?
Yes. Kavanagh's campaign listed aging infrastructure and flood protection as a priority, pledging to fix or replace aging roads, sewers, sidewalks and recreation buildings in Ward 7, according to her campaign website. The Canada Day 2026 flooding affected close to 8,000 residents in the ward and is now driving her work in her new term.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- Capital Current: Kavanagh prioritizes Bay Ward's stormwater system in wake of Canada Day stormcapitalcurrent.ca
- Theresa Kavanagh campaign: My Prioritiesreelecttheresakavanagh.ca
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