St-Jérôme, Que., closes bridge, distributes sandbags as water levels rise

With wet weather and melting snow happening, St-Jérôme, Que., is distributing sandbags to residents.

MONTREAL — Officials in St-Jérôme, Que., northwest of Montreal, have closed a bridge to traffic because of rising water and started distributing sandbags to residents.

The city of more than 80,000 people is among several municipalities across Quebec preparing for potential flooding because of the spring thaw and persistent rain.

Environment Canada has said parts of southern Quebec had received up to 40 millimetres of rain since the start to the week, and forecasts are calling for more.

The weather agency says southern Quebec from Gatineau to the Lanaudière region is forecast to receive between 10-15 mm of rain today and another 15-30 mm between Saturday and Sunday.

Élisabeth Émond with the St-Jérôme mayor’s office says officials have distributed more than 2,300 sandbags to residents as the water of the Rivière du Nord is expected to continue to rise.

The city closed the Viau bridge over the river on Wednesday night as a precaution.

Flood watches are in effect for several rivers across the province, including in the Lanaudière, Outaouais, Laurentians, and Quebec City regions, with minor flooding already reported in some areas.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 16, 2026.