Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac lakeshore residents getting a new view of a massive dike

Some residents find flood preparation overkill With spring around the corner some communities are erecting barriers to redirect potential flood waters, but other areas aren’t happy.

MONTREAL — With spring fast approaching, municipalities that have seen massive flooding in recent years are getting ready to mitigate against disaster.

Some say the precautions are overkill.

Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac is building a giant steel enforced dike along its entire shoreline.

Serge Racette is one of those that will have to get used to having his former lake view now obstructed by the dike.

"We used to play on the lake in the summertime and during the wintertime," he said.

Last spring, almost a third of the municipality's residents were forced to abandon their homes when the dike burst.

Racette's property was untouched. He understands the need to prepare, but feels the town has gone too far.

"All citizens need to be protected, but you don't need to do something that big to protect all the citizens," he said. "It's nonsense."

The dike will rise 26-and-a-half metres above sea level.

The one in Deux-Montanges will be two metres shorter.

"The record height we had was 24.7 metres, so we're a metre over, " said Deux-Montagnes Mayor Denis Martin.

Racette feels his municipality is overreacting and he and some other residents are suing for loss in property value.

Saint-Marthe-sur-le-Lac Mayor Sonia Paulus said the height was chosen after consultations with engineers.