Effects of Hurricane Hazel in Canada
Encyclopedia
The effects of Hurricane Hazel in Canada included 81 deaths and C$
137,552,400 ($1,126,947,163 in 2009) in damages. Hazel
, the deadliest and costliest storm of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season
, reached Toronto
, Ontario
by the evening of October 15, 1954. It peaked as a category 4 storm, but by the time it reached Canada, it was extratropical after merging with an existing cold front south of Ontario. Due to an area of high pressure to the north-east, Hazel stalled over Toronto and lost most of its moisture.
The worst-affected areas were communities near the Humber River
, Holland Marsh
, and Etobicoke Creek
. Prone to flooding, the Humber River raced downstream from Woodbridge
when an earthen dam failed. In the weeks prior to Hazel, Toronto had received copious amounts of rain, and the soil could not hold as much as 200 mm (7.9 in) of rain; consequently, over 90% of it went into Toronto's waterways. The Humber heavily flooded Weston, and killed 35 people alone at Raymore Drive
. Holland Marsh was severely flooded; while no one was killed, the economic losses were severe as the region's crops were harvested but not collected. At the village of Long Branch, the Etobicoke Creek killed seven people and swept numerous dwellings into Lake Ontario
. Toronto's infrastructure also took a major hit, with as much as 50 bridges being washed out by the rising waters.
The situation was exacerbated by the lack of preparedness and awareness. Torontonians did not have prior experience with hurricanes, and the storm as whole proved to be extremely unpredictable—even the arrival of Hazel came as a surprise. Also, the low-lying areas near the Humber were mostly residential, which were among the worst-affected during the storm. In fact, following Hazel, residential development in areas along Toronto waterways was prohibited, and they became parks instead.
To help with the cleanup, the army was summoned. Due to the destruction in Canada, as well as the United States and Haiti, the name Hazel was retired, and will never again be used for an Atlantic hurricane. Since it was retired before the creation of formal lists, it was not replaced with any particular name.
Hurricane Hazel started as a tropical wave
off the coast of Africa in early October 1954. Deemed to be a tropical storm on October 5, Hazel moved westward through the Caribbean Sea without affecting any land. On October 10, Hazel slowed down, and made an abrupt turn to the north towards Haiti
, and made landfall two days later as a Category 2 storm, killing over 1,000 people. As a whole, Hazel was very unpredictable which made it even more dangerous, as it defied meteorologists' predictions on multiple occasions. The hurricane then went on an eventual course towards the Carolinas. On October 14, just before reaching the Carolinas, hurricane hunter planes found the hurricane's winds to have accelerated to 240 kilometres per hour (149.1 mph), making it a Category 4 storm, and it was moving at a high forward speed of 48 kilometres per hour (29.8 mph).
The storm made landfall near the North Carolina
/South Carolina
border by the morning on October 15, striking Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
before moving north. The now-Category 3 storm became extratropical as it passed over Raleigh, North Carolina
. Hazel accelerated to over 80 km/h (49.7 mph) upon making landfall, and was centred over New York state and Pennsylvania by 4:30 p.m. EDT. Against meteorologists' predictions, Hazel had not lost much intensity, with winds nearing 160 km/h (99.4 mph) in parts of Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania. Before leaving the United States, the storm had claimed 95 lives, of which the majority were drowning casualties.
Moving very rapidly, Hazel consolidated with a cold front
and created a new centre, which moved straight towards Toronto. Once over Toronto, the storm was partially blocked by an area of high pressure to the northeast, which drastically slowed it down. The eye of the storm was over downtown Toronto at midnight.
, two Special Weather Bulletins issued by the Dominion Weather Office expected Toronto
to be mostly spared, albeit with a caveat that if Hazel merged with an existing cold front south of Ontario, severe weather would result. High winds, between 65 km/h (40.4 mph) and 80 km/h (49.7 mph), with only occasional showers as a result of Hazel were forecast, and in Toronto, the fact that a hurricane was arriving was not mentioned on the television station nor any radio stations. Ships on lakes Erie
and Ontario
received warnings about strong winds, although the predicted wind speeds ranged from 65 km/h (40.4 mph) to 120 km/h (74.6 mph).
Since the storm was expected to pass east of Toronto, few measures were taken. With few people in Canada having any experience with hurricanes, as storms that went that far inland northwest being virtually unheard of, very few warnings were given and there were no evacuations prior to the storm as it was expected that it would pass east of the city. Areas along rivers and creeks were particularly vulnerable to flooding, as homes were built in their floodplains. Toronto Hydro had called in standby crews as heavy winds were forecast, although they were almost sent home at one point due to a lull in the storm.
(GTA), the region had received particularly above-average rainfall. When the storm arrived, the water table was already saturated; as a result, most of the precipitation, with estimates going as high as 90%, simply ran off into rivers and creeks in Toronto, raising water levels by as much as six to eight metres. As a result, anything built in the floodplain of a major waterway was either inundated or simply swept away. In a city not used to heavy flooding, there had been no experience with the natural disasters like hurricanes, which resulted in a lack of preparedness and greater loss of life.
Although all of Southern Ontario received heavy rainfall as a result of Hazel, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), in addition to being particularly vulnerable beforehand, received the most. Snelgrove, Ontario
, near Brampton
, received the most rain—214 mm (8.4 in)—while both Snelgrove and Brampton reported 90 millimetres (3.5 in) between 9 p.m. and midnight EDT on October 15. Within the GTA, there was considerable disparity in the amount of rain received, with the west end receiving considerably more than the east end: areas southeast of Danforth Avenue
, which starts immediately east of the Don River, in the east end of the city, reported only 77 mm (3 in) that day, with rainfall totals decreasing when going east. On the other hand, Malton Airport (now Lester B. Pearson International Airport), in the west end of the city reported 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain, with the totals increasing until past Brampton.
No natural disaster since has led to such a high death toll—81 people—in Canada. In addition, over 4,000 families were left homeless. The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada estimates the total cost of Hurricane Hazel for Canada, taking into account long term effects such as economic disruption, the cost of lost property, and recovery costs, as being C$
137,552,400 (2009: $1,126,947,163).
Highway 400 was arguably the most-affected road. The highway passes directly through Holland Marsh
north of Toronto, where it was under as much as 3 m (9.8 ft) of water in some places when as much 6.1 metres (20 ft) of water backed up from Lake Simcoe
. At the Cookstown Cloverleaf, the road was washed out in both directions, which left 350 people stranded at a service station. Finally, between Cookston and Barrie, three culverts carrying the roads were destroyed. Many other highways were affected by bridge and other structural damages, which included Highways 2
, 5
, 7
, 11
, 26
, 27
, and 49
. There were a few fatalities due to car crashes; for instance, one person died when his car plunged into a cave-in on Highway 7. Communities affected by bridge washouts included Scarborough
(10 entire bridges, and six bridge approaches), Markham
(11 in their entirety and three approaches), and North York (seven in their entirety). The damage to roads and bridges caused long-term economic and transportation problems. With Hazel arriving relatively close to winter, only temporary fixes could be made, which did not withstand the spring thaw.
Railways were also affected by the rising waters. Passenger trains were disrupted, and there were two fatalities when a train hit a washout near Southampton
.
Mariners on Lakes Erie and Ontario heeded warnings, and avoided any loss of life. As a result of high waves on Lake Ontario, the National Yacht Club incurred over C$
100,000 (2009: over C$800,000) in damages. At the base of Etobicoke Creek, a boathouse incurred over $30,000 (2009: approximately $250,000) to, while twenty-five boats were swept into the lake at Oakville
, including the Harbour Master's boat. That boat became a ward of the court after the salvaging company claimed ownership but the previous owners disagreed, and argued that the vessel was not abandoned since it was lost as a result of an "Act of God".
, a muck crop
farming region, is located in a bowl-shaped valley directly south of Lake Simcoe
, near Bradford
. Unlike the flash floods in rivers and creeks to the south, the flooding of Holland Marsh was slow, which allowed many people to escape to Bradford, which is located on a hill, and avoid drowning. Due to the nature of the flood, there were few casualties, but the flooding itself was severe. In the northern part of the marsh, 1.2 to 6.1 m (four to 20 ft) of water backed up from the lake, while on the opposite end, between 6.1 and 9.0 m (20 to 30 ft) of water backed up from the Holland River
and the Schomberg Creek.
Property damage was particularly severe: Allan Andreson, a CBC reporter, described that the "marsh was just like one vast lake. All you could see in the distance sticking out of the water was the steeple of the Springdale Christian Reformed Church." Highway 400, which bisects the marsh, was under five to ten feet [1.5–3.0 metres] of water. The majority of the properties in the marsh were inundated with water, and homes and their contents were either seriously damaged or completely destroyed. Many of these houses were contaminated by the flood, or the rotting vegetables (the crop was recently harvested), and became unfit for habitation. A few homes were taken off their foundations by the waters and floated around the marsh; one, the DePeuter residence, which contained the parents, twelve children and a cat, spent the night floating on the marsh for 3.2 km (2 mi). As a result of the flooding, 3000 people were left homeless as 28.35 km² (7,005.4 acre) of the marsh became a lake.
Like the property losses, the economic ones were also hard. While most of the year's crop had been harvested by mid-October, it had not been brought in, and it was either submerged or swept away by the flood. It is estimated that more than 500 000 bags of onions, a similar amount of celery, as well as millions of bushels of other crops were taken by the flood, and were left to rot in the water. While no one died at Holland Marsh, total damages were up to $10,000,000 (2009: $81,600,000).
, located in the west end of the city, caused the most destruction, as a result of an intense flash flood. Located in a glacial trench, the river in some areas occupies the full width of the trench; however, in other areas, most of the trench is a floodplain, which was heavily urbanized and deforested at the time. While some sort of flood control had been proposed for the Humber River, none existed, and with most of the rains running off directly into the river, a flash flood ensued, which was especially exacerbated by the steepness of the river.
The resulting current was so strong that the Toronto Star
reported that the police were informed that no boat should be launched in the river, saying that "nothing can make it and anyone in it will be killed for sure". That prediction came true, when a team of five volunteer firefighters were killed when their fire truck was swept away as they were responding to help a stranded motorist.
, northwest of Toronto. was the first community to be hit by rising waters. The Humber swelled from its usual width of 20 m (65.6 ft) to 107 m (351 ft) at its narrowest point. An earthen dam collapsed, which sent water gushing into a trailer park. Nine people died, and hundreds were left homeless. Outside the trailer park, the community's infrastructure was affected, with sidewalks being uprooted, and sewage and water mains were broken. The floodwater which was released at Woodbridge went down the river, which caused further destruction to communities downstream.
Jim Crawford, a policeman then aged 23, and Herb Jones, a contractor, were credited with saving as a many as 50 lives between the start of the heavy flooding during the late evening until daybreak. Crawford supplied gas for Jones' boat, and they set out into the river, which flooded as high as the telephone wires. Rescuing people from their porches, second-floor windows, or roofs, Crawford described that he and Jones bounced around like a cork, and dodged debris, houses and telephone poles.
South of Weston, the community of Mount Dennis
suffered extremely high floodwaters. Homes were surrounded by water as much as 3 m (9.8 ft) deep on Cynthia Avenue. As a result of erosion caused by the floodwaters, properties ended up bordering cliffs. Black Creek, normally narrow enough for a person to be able to jump over it, and at most 30 cm (0.984251968503937 ft) deep, swelled to flood three streets.
Entire homes were swept away by the water, aided in part by the severed bridge. As a result of the massive flood, 366 m (1,200.8 ft), 39% of the 922-metre long road, as well as 14 homes, many with their occupants inside, were simply swept away by the Humber. Owing to the powerful torrent gushing down the Humber, many victims' bodies were never recovered. The worst-hit home was located at 148 Raymore Drive, which was shared by the Edwards and Neil family. Nine inhabitants died, three adults and six children; the bodies of two-year old Frank and three-month old John Edwards were never recovered.
The rise of the river was unprecedented and many residents did not evacuate, which led to 35 casualties. The Army was called in to assist in the cleanup. The flood damage was so severe that the area that was flooded along Raymore Drive ceased to be a residential area and became a park. In contrast, some homes on the street that were a little higher and farther away merely received a little water in the basement.
to the west. During the storm, the creek overflowed its banks, completely flooded three streets near the lake, and caused very heavy damage to others. As the water rose, four hundred people were evacuated from a trailer park; some time later during the night, trailers as long as 12.2 m (40 ft) in length were seized by the creek and became battering rams against other buildings in the area.
In addition to the trailers being swept away by the torrent, many houses, with people still in or on top of them, were swept into Lake Ontario. Many people were saved when the houses in which they took shelter were stopped by trees from going into the lake. The reeve, Marie Curtis, was quoted in the Globe and Mail saying that if it were not for the trees, half of the village would have been swept into the lake. She also described a house with 35 people on its roof that was stopped by two trees from floating into the lake.
After three floods in five years, the 192 properties were expropriated and the area was made into a park. This measure was taken for two reasons: firstly, there was an inherent risk of a similar catastrophic flood, with a heavier death toll avoided by a stroke of luck; and secondly, because as a result of flood erosion, a sanitary sewer which ran 2.1 m (6.9 ft) below the riverbed now only ran 0.9 m (3 ft) below. Of the 192 properties that were expropriated, 43 were totally destroyed, 68 were seriously damaged, 37 were slightly damaged, 30 garages were destroyed, and one store was seriously damaged.
Due to many houses being trapped by trees and not swept into the lake, as well as the effective rescue measures taken, only seven people were killed. The area is now Marie Curtis Park, named after the reeve at the time of the disaster.
Directly north of Toronto, the town of Barrie
was flooded, which damaged some roads and sewers. In Beeton, five people, in two cars, were killed when they were washed off a bridge. In Ottawa, a fence at Lansdowne Park
was blown over; with the Rough Riders
scheduled to play the Toronto Argonauts
, officials were worried that many fans would get in for free as the hole in the fence could not be fixed in time. Across the river
, a man from Hull
, Quebec
was electrocuted trying to move a tree that was felled by the storm, which downed a power line. As Hazel passed over James Bay
, the area near Moosonee reported heavy winds and snowfall.
. Since it was retired before the creation of formal lists, it was not replaced with any particular name.
Torontonians as a whole collectively helped out with the relief effort. The Salvation Army
received so many donations, of clothers, footwear, blankets, food, and money, that its storage facilities were overfilled. As a result, it had to request that no more donations were needed, with assurances that they will be accepted when the need arises. The Salvation Army also provided 100 volunteers. The Boy Scouts
patrolled Etobicoke for looters, while their British counterparts donated to them 454 kg (1,000.9 lb) pounds of supplies. The Red Cross sent rescuers to Long Branch and sheltered 90 people in Port Credit and 30 in Lambton. They provided supplies and shelter to 300 residents of Holland Marsh who had evacuated to Bradford. Nurses gave typhoid shots in Woodbridge, and Toronto provided them with water. The city also placed heavy machinery such as bulldozers, shovel loaders, and trucks, to assist in the cleanup, at any community's disposal.
The Hurricane Relief Fund (HRF) was established to "receive contributions from all those citizens in this province and elsewhere who desire to assist those who have lost so much." The HRF received donations from a variety of sources. The neighbouring City of Hamilton
donated $20,000 (2009: $163,000). Pope Pius XII
"sent his 'deepest sympathy'" gave $10,000 (2009: $81,000). The Ford Motor Company
donated $25,000 (2009: $203,000), Laura Secord Candy Shops gave $1000 (2009: $8,100), and the British American Oil Company donated $20,000 (2009: $163,000). The Atkinson Charitable Foundation gave $250,000 (2009: $2,000,000), while the United Church of Canada
donated $5000 (2009: $41,000). Approximately $5,100,000 (2009: $41,80,000) was distributed from a total fund of about $5,300,000 (2009: $43,000,000), with half the remainder set aside as a contingency reserve in the event of unresolved claims, and the other half being used up through administration expenses.
Insurance companies set up offices in New Toronto
, Woodbridge and Newmarket to handle the claims in the wake of Hazel. Due to previous flooding, many found out that damage as a result of flooding was not covered. However, in some cases, if wind broke a window during the storm, partial reimbursement could be obtained for water damage, by the logic that some water would enter the dwelling through the window.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Hazel, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
was created though the merger of smaller, regional conservation authorities, with the mission to manage the area's floodplains and rivers. For instance, there had been previously rejected plans to build dams along the Humber River to control flooding; after the storm, some were built, but they would not prevent flooding in another weather event with Hazel's intensity and the same mitigating circumstances. Other than making changes in the Greater Toronto Area, flood control in Ontario and Canada as a whole became a more important issue.
Land in heavily-flooded areas was expropriated, and policies were instituted to prevent home construction and other development projects in ravines or floodplains. Most of this expropriated land was turned into parkland. The expropriation proved controversial, especially over the financial compensation given to home owners. According to the Ontario Mobile Home Association, owners of trailers were compensated substantially less proportional to house owners. For example, between Dundas Street
and Lake Ontario, the Humber River is parkland, while what was Raymore Drive at the time of the storm was turned into Raymore Park, which contains a footbridge over the Humber dedicated to the victims. Flood controls were instituted along the flooded waterways; downstream from Raymore Drive, a weir was built, and a retaining wall was built on the left bank of the Humber opposite the most eastern end of the street.
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
137,552,400 ($1,126,947,163 in 2009) in damages. Hazel
Hurricane Hazel
Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest and costliest hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm killed as many as 1,000 people in Haiti before striking the United States near the border between North and South Carolina, as a Category 4 hurricane...
, the deadliest and costliest storm of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season
1954 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1954 Atlantic hurricane season caused over $750 million in damage, the most of any season at the time. The season officially began on June 15, and nine days later the first named storm developed. Hurricane Alice developed in the Gulf of Mexico and moved inland along the Rio Grande,...
, reached Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
by the evening of October 15, 1954. It peaked as a category 4 storm, but by the time it reached Canada, it was extratropical after merging with an existing cold front south of Ontario. Due to an area of high pressure to the north-east, Hazel stalled over Toronto and lost most of its moisture.
The worst-affected areas were communities near the Humber River
Humber River (Ontario)
The Humber River is one of two major rivers on either side of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the other being the Don River to the east. It was designated a Canadian Heritage River on September 24, 1999....
, Holland Marsh
Holland Marsh
The Holland Marsh is a wetland and agricultural area north of Toronto, Ontario. It lies entirely within the valley of the Holland River, stretching from the northern edge of the Oak Ridges Moraine near Schomberg to the river mouth at Cook's Bay, Lake Simcoe. In its entirety it comprises about or...
, and Etobicoke Creek
Etobicoke Creek
Etobicoke Creek is one of the many creeks running through Toronto, Ontario and the Toronto Area into Lake Ontario, often characterized by their winding paths through deep ravines and distinctive shale banks....
. Prone to flooding, the Humber River raced downstream from Woodbridge
Woodbridge, Ontario
Woodbridge is a large suburban community in the City of Vaughan, just north of Toronto in Southern Ontario. It was once an independent town before being amalgamated with nearby communities to form the city in 1971. Its traditional downtown core is the Woodbridge Ave...
when an earthen dam failed. In the weeks prior to Hazel, Toronto had received copious amounts of rain, and the soil could not hold as much as 200 mm (7.9 in) of rain; consequently, over 90% of it went into Toronto's waterways. The Humber heavily flooded Weston, and killed 35 people alone at Raymore Drive
Raymore Drive
Raymore Drive is a mostly residential street in the Weston neighbourhood of Toronto in the Canadian province of Ontario. It runs next to the Humber River. On October 15, 1954, the area was severely affected by Hurricane Hazel. When the Humber River burst its banks and tore away a footbridge, the...
. Holland Marsh was severely flooded; while no one was killed, the economic losses were severe as the region's crops were harvested but not collected. At the village of Long Branch, the Etobicoke Creek killed seven people and swept numerous dwellings into Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. Toronto's infrastructure also took a major hit, with as much as 50 bridges being washed out by the rising waters.
The situation was exacerbated by the lack of preparedness and awareness. Torontonians did not have prior experience with hurricanes, and the storm as whole proved to be extremely unpredictable—even the arrival of Hazel came as a surprise. Also, the low-lying areas near the Humber were mostly residential, which were among the worst-affected during the storm. In fact, following Hazel, residential development in areas along Toronto waterways was prohibited, and they became parks instead.
To help with the cleanup, the army was summoned. Due to the destruction in Canada, as well as the United States and Haiti, the name Hazel was retired, and will never again be used for an Atlantic hurricane. Since it was retired before the creation of formal lists, it was not replaced with any particular name.
Background
Tropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
off the coast of Africa in early October 1954. Deemed to be a tropical storm on October 5, Hazel moved westward through the Caribbean Sea without affecting any land. On October 10, Hazel slowed down, and made an abrupt turn to the north towards Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, and made landfall two days later as a Category 2 storm, killing over 1,000 people. As a whole, Hazel was very unpredictable which made it even more dangerous, as it defied meteorologists' predictions on multiple occasions. The hurricane then went on an eventual course towards the Carolinas. On October 14, just before reaching the Carolinas, hurricane hunter planes found the hurricane's winds to have accelerated to 240 kilometres per hour (149.1 mph), making it a Category 4 storm, and it was moving at a high forward speed of 48 kilometres per hour (29.8 mph).
The storm made landfall near the North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
/South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
border by the morning on October 15, striking Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
before moving north. The now-Category 3 storm became extratropical as it passed over Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. Hazel accelerated to over 80 km/h (49.7 mph) upon making landfall, and was centred over New York state and Pennsylvania by 4:30 p.m. EDT. Against meteorologists' predictions, Hazel had not lost much intensity, with winds nearing 160 km/h (99.4 mph) in parts of Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Pennsylvania. Before leaving the United States, the storm had claimed 95 lives, of which the majority were drowning casualties.
Moving very rapidly, Hazel consolidated with a cold front
Weather front
A weather front is a boundary separating two masses of air of different densities, and is the principal cause of meteorological phenomena. In surface weather analyses, fronts are depicted using various colored lines and symbols, depending on the type of front...
and created a new centre, which moved straight towards Toronto. Once over Toronto, the storm was partially blocked by an area of high pressure to the northeast, which drastically slowed it down. The eye of the storm was over downtown Toronto at midnight.
Preparations
Originally forecast to lose power over the Allegheny MountainsAllegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
, two Special Weather Bulletins issued by the Dominion Weather Office expected Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
to be mostly spared, albeit with a caveat that if Hazel merged with an existing cold front south of Ontario, severe weather would result. High winds, between 65 km/h (40.4 mph) and 80 km/h (49.7 mph), with only occasional showers as a result of Hazel were forecast, and in Toronto, the fact that a hurricane was arriving was not mentioned on the television station nor any radio stations. Ships on lakes Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
and Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
received warnings about strong winds, although the predicted wind speeds ranged from 65 km/h (40.4 mph) to 120 km/h (74.6 mph).
Since the storm was expected to pass east of Toronto, few measures were taken. With few people in Canada having any experience with hurricanes, as storms that went that far inland northwest being virtually unheard of, very few warnings were given and there were no evacuations prior to the storm as it was expected that it would pass east of the city. Areas along rivers and creeks were particularly vulnerable to flooding, as homes were built in their floodplains. Toronto Hydro had called in standby crews as heavy winds were forecast, although they were almost sent home at one point due to a lull in the storm.
Impact
In the few weeks leading up to Hazel striking the Greater Toronto AreaGreater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
(GTA), the region had received particularly above-average rainfall. When the storm arrived, the water table was already saturated; as a result, most of the precipitation, with estimates going as high as 90%, simply ran off into rivers and creeks in Toronto, raising water levels by as much as six to eight metres. As a result, anything built in the floodplain of a major waterway was either inundated or simply swept away. In a city not used to heavy flooding, there had been no experience with the natural disasters like hurricanes, which resulted in a lack of preparedness and greater loss of life.
Although all of Southern Ontario received heavy rainfall as a result of Hazel, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), in addition to being particularly vulnerable beforehand, received the most. Snelgrove, Ontario
Snelgrove, Ontario
Snelgrove is an historic community in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, straddling the border between Brampton and Caledon centred on the intersection of Hurontario Street and Mayfield Road...
, near Brampton
Brampton
Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada.Brampton may also refer to:- Canada :* Brampton, a city in Ontario** Brampton GO Station, a station in the GO Transit network located in the city- United Kingdom :...
, received the most rain—214 mm (8.4 in)—while both Snelgrove and Brampton reported 90 millimetres (3.5 in) between 9 p.m. and midnight EDT on October 15. Within the GTA, there was considerable disparity in the amount of rain received, with the west end receiving considerably more than the east end: areas southeast of Danforth Avenue
Danforth Avenue
Danforth Avenue is an east-west arterial road in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its western end begins in Old Toronto from the Prince Edward Viaduct as a continuation of Bloor Street and continues through East York until intersecting with Kingston Road in Scarborough...
, which starts immediately east of the Don River, in the east end of the city, reported only 77 mm (3 in) that day, with rainfall totals decreasing when going east. On the other hand, Malton Airport (now Lester B. Pearson International Airport), in the west end of the city reported 137 mm (5.4 in) of rain, with the totals increasing until past Brampton.
No natural disaster since has led to such a high death toll—81 people—in Canada. In addition, over 4,000 families were left homeless. The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada estimates the total cost of Hurricane Hazel for Canada, taking into account long term effects such as economic disruption, the cost of lost property, and recovery costs, as being C$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
137,552,400 (2009: $1,126,947,163).
Infrastructure
With river and stream levels rising, Toronto's infrastructure took a heavy hit. Not built to withstand serious flooding, as it is in a climate area that does not see exceptionally prolonged or heavy rainfall, over 50 bridges, many part of important highways, were heavily damaged or put out of commission, when high water itself washed them out or debris in the water smashed them. Numerous roads and railways were also washed out.Highway 400 was arguably the most-affected road. The highway passes directly through Holland Marsh
Holland Marsh
The Holland Marsh is a wetland and agricultural area north of Toronto, Ontario. It lies entirely within the valley of the Holland River, stretching from the northern edge of the Oak Ridges Moraine near Schomberg to the river mouth at Cook's Bay, Lake Simcoe. In its entirety it comprises about or...
north of Toronto, where it was under as much as 3 m (9.8 ft) of water in some places when as much 6.1 metres (20 ft) of water backed up from Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe is a lake in Southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century the lake was called Ouentironk by the Huron natives...
. At the Cookstown Cloverleaf, the road was washed out in both directions, which left 350 people stranded at a service station. Finally, between Cookston and Barrie, three culverts carrying the roads were destroyed. Many other highways were affected by bridge and other structural damages, which included Highways 2
Highway 2 (Ontario)
King's Highway 2, usually referred to simply as Highway 2 is a provincially maintained highway in Ontario. Once the primary east–west route across the southern end of the province, Highway 2 became mostly redundant in the 1960s following the completion of Highway 401, which more or less...
, 5
Highway 5 (Ontario)
King's Highway 5, also known as Highway 5 and historically as the Dundas Highway, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. The east–west highway travels a distance of between Highway 8 at Peter's Corners, north of Hamilton and Highway 6 at Clappison's Corners...
, 7
Highway 7 (Ontario)
King's Highway 7, commonly referred to as Highway 7 and historically as the Northern Highway, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario...
, 11
Highway 11 (Ontario)
King's Highway 11 is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. At , it is the second longest highway in the province after Highway 17. Highway 11 begins at Highway 400 in Barrie, and arches through northern Ontario, around Lake Superior, to the Ontario–Minnesota border...
, 26
Highway 26 (Ontario)
King's Highway 26, commonly referred to as Highway 26, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario, connecting the cities of Barrie and Owen Sound.- Route description :...
, 27
Highway 27 (Ontario)
Highway 27, formerly known as King's Highway 27, was a provincially maintained highway in southern Ontario that is now cared for by the city of Toronto, York Region and Simcoe County. It is considered an undivided expressway in Toronto's municipal expressway network...
, and 49
Highway 49 (Ontario)
King's Highway 49, commonly referred to as Highway 49, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario. Highway 49 currently runs from the Quinte Skyway to the northern boundary of the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory south of Marysville...
. There were a few fatalities due to car crashes; for instance, one person died when his car plunged into a cave-in on Highway 7. Communities affected by bridge washouts included Scarborough
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
(10 entire bridges, and six bridge approaches), Markham
Markham, Ontario
Markham is a town in the Regional Municipality of York, located within the Greater Toronto Area of Southern Ontario, Canada. The population was 261,573 at the 2006 Canadian census...
(11 in their entirety and three approaches), and North York (seven in their entirety). The damage to roads and bridges caused long-term economic and transportation problems. With Hazel arriving relatively close to winter, only temporary fixes could be made, which did not withstand the spring thaw.
Railways were also affected by the rising waters. Passenger trains were disrupted, and there were two fatalities when a train hit a washout near Southampton
Southampton, Ontario
Southampton is a community of approximately 3083 people on the shores of Lake Huron in Bruce County, Ontario, Canada, located at the mouth of the Saugeen River....
.
Mariners on Lakes Erie and Ontario heeded warnings, and avoided any loss of life. As a result of high waves on Lake Ontario, the National Yacht Club incurred over C$
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
100,000 (2009: over C$800,000) in damages. At the base of Etobicoke Creek, a boathouse incurred over $30,000 (2009: approximately $250,000) to, while twenty-five boats were swept into the lake at Oakville
Oakville, Ontario
Oakville is a town in Halton Region, on Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Greater Toronto Area. As of the 2006 census the population was 165,613.-History:In 1793, Dundas Street was surveyed for a military road...
, including the Harbour Master's boat. That boat became a ward of the court after the salvaging company claimed ownership but the previous owners disagreed, and argued that the vessel was not abandoned since it was lost as a result of an "Act of God".
Holland Marsh
The Holland MarshHolland Marsh
The Holland Marsh is a wetland and agricultural area north of Toronto, Ontario. It lies entirely within the valley of the Holland River, stretching from the northern edge of the Oak Ridges Moraine near Schomberg to the river mouth at Cook's Bay, Lake Simcoe. In its entirety it comprises about or...
, a muck crop
Muck (soil)
Muck is a soil made up primarily of humus from drained swampland. It is known as black soil in The Fens of eastern England, where it was originally mainly fen and bog. It is used there, as in the United States, for growing specialty crops such as onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes...
farming region, is located in a bowl-shaped valley directly south of Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe
Lake Simcoe is a lake in Southern Ontario, Canada, the fourth-largest lake wholly in the province, after Lake Nipigon, Lac Seul, and Lake Nipissing. At the time of the first European contact in the 17th century the lake was called Ouentironk by the Huron natives...
, near Bradford
Bradford, Ontario
Bradford is the primary country urban area of the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario, in Canada. It overlooks a beautiful and prosperous farming community, known as The Holland Marsh, located on the Holland River that flows into Lake Simcoe...
. Unlike the flash floods in rivers and creeks to the south, the flooding of Holland Marsh was slow, which allowed many people to escape to Bradford, which is located on a hill, and avoid drowning. Due to the nature of the flood, there were few casualties, but the flooding itself was severe. In the northern part of the marsh, 1.2 to 6.1 m (four to 20 ft) of water backed up from the lake, while on the opposite end, between 6.1 and 9.0 m (20 to 30 ft) of water backed up from the Holland River
Holland River
The Holland River is a river in Ontario, Canada that drains the Holland River watershed into Cook's Bay, the southern extremity of Lake Simcoe. It is named after Captain Samuel Holland, , Dutch born first Surveyor General of British North America. The river flows generally north, and its...
and the Schomberg Creek.
Property damage was particularly severe: Allan Andreson, a CBC reporter, described that the "marsh was just like one vast lake. All you could see in the distance sticking out of the water was the steeple of the Springdale Christian Reformed Church." Highway 400, which bisects the marsh, was under five to ten feet [1.5–3.0 metres] of water. The majority of the properties in the marsh were inundated with water, and homes and their contents were either seriously damaged or completely destroyed. Many of these houses were contaminated by the flood, or the rotting vegetables (the crop was recently harvested), and became unfit for habitation. A few homes were taken off their foundations by the waters and floated around the marsh; one, the DePeuter residence, which contained the parents, twelve children and a cat, spent the night floating on the marsh for 3.2 km (2 mi). As a result of the flooding, 3000 people were left homeless as 28.35 km² (7,005.4 acre) of the marsh became a lake.
Like the property losses, the economic ones were also hard. While most of the year's crop had been harvested by mid-October, it had not been brought in, and it was either submerged or swept away by the flood. It is estimated that more than 500 000 bags of onions, a similar amount of celery, as well as millions of bushels of other crops were taken by the flood, and were left to rot in the water. While no one died at Holland Marsh, total damages were up to $10,000,000 (2009: $81,600,000).
Humber River
The Humber RiverHumber River (Ontario)
The Humber River is one of two major rivers on either side of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the other being the Don River to the east. It was designated a Canadian Heritage River on September 24, 1999....
, located in the west end of the city, caused the most destruction, as a result of an intense flash flood. Located in a glacial trench, the river in some areas occupies the full width of the trench; however, in other areas, most of the trench is a floodplain, which was heavily urbanized and deforested at the time. While some sort of flood control had been proposed for the Humber River, none existed, and with most of the rains running off directly into the river, a flash flood ensued, which was especially exacerbated by the steepness of the river.
The resulting current was so strong that the Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
reported that the police were informed that no boat should be launched in the river, saying that "nothing can make it and anyone in it will be killed for sure". That prediction came true, when a team of five volunteer firefighters were killed when their fire truck was swept away as they were responding to help a stranded motorist.
Woodbridge
WoodbridgeWoodbridge, Ontario
Woodbridge is a large suburban community in the City of Vaughan, just north of Toronto in Southern Ontario. It was once an independent town before being amalgamated with nearby communities to form the city in 1971. Its traditional downtown core is the Woodbridge Ave...
, northwest of Toronto. was the first community to be hit by rising waters. The Humber swelled from its usual width of 20 m (65.6 ft) to 107 m (351 ft) at its narrowest point. An earthen dam collapsed, which sent water gushing into a trailer park. Nine people died, and hundreds were left homeless. Outside the trailer park, the community's infrastructure was affected, with sidewalks being uprooted, and sewage and water mains were broken. The floodwater which was released at Woodbridge went down the river, which caused further destruction to communities downstream.
Weston and environs
Weston is a Toronto neighbourhood located on the east bank of the Humber River. Susceptible to flooding, it and other, smaller, communities near it suffered the worst floods in Toronto.Jim Crawford, a policeman then aged 23, and Herb Jones, a contractor, were credited with saving as a many as 50 lives between the start of the heavy flooding during the late evening until daybreak. Crawford supplied gas for Jones' boat, and they set out into the river, which flooded as high as the telephone wires. Rescuing people from their porches, second-floor windows, or roofs, Crawford described that he and Jones bounced around like a cork, and dodged debris, houses and telephone poles.
South of Weston, the community of Mount Dennis
Mount Dennis
Mount Dennis is a neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, bordered by the intersection of Jane Street and Weston Road to the north, and Black Creek to the east and south, as the creek curves parallel to Alliance Avenue before crossing under Jane Street on its way to drain into the Humber River,...
suffered extremely high floodwaters. Homes were surrounded by water as much as 3 m (9.8 ft) deep on Cynthia Avenue. As a result of erosion caused by the floodwaters, properties ended up bordering cliffs. Black Creek, normally narrow enough for a person to be able to jump over it, and at most 30 cm (0.984251968503937 ft) deep, swelled to flood three streets.
Raymore Drive
Raymore Drive is a mostly residential street near Weston, located on the opposite bank, and was home to a mix of blue-collar workers and retirees. As a result of the heavy rainfall, the level of the Humber River, near which Raymore Drive is located, slowly rose. As the water rose, a footbridge spanning the Humber near the street was torn off one abutment and redirected the Humber right through the low-lying neighbourhood. The water rose by over 6 metres (19.7 ft) in a flood that suddenly became much more violent, and after some time, the bridge itself was seized by the Humber's waters and became akin to a battering ram, which caused even destruction to properties.Entire homes were swept away by the water, aided in part by the severed bridge. As a result of the massive flood, 366 m (1,200.8 ft), 39% of the 922-metre long road, as well as 14 homes, many with their occupants inside, were simply swept away by the Humber. Owing to the powerful torrent gushing down the Humber, many victims' bodies were never recovered. The worst-hit home was located at 148 Raymore Drive, which was shared by the Edwards and Neil family. Nine inhabitants died, three adults and six children; the bodies of two-year old Frank and three-month old John Edwards were never recovered.
The rise of the river was unprecedented and many residents did not evacuate, which led to 35 casualties. The Army was called in to assist in the cleanup. The flood damage was so severe that the area that was flooded along Raymore Drive ceased to be a residential area and became a park. In contrast, some homes on the street that were a little higher and farther away merely received a little water in the basement.
Long Branch
The village of Long Branch, now part of the amalgamated City of Toronto, is bounded by Lake Ontario to the south and by the Etobicoke CreekEtobicoke Creek
Etobicoke Creek is one of the many creeks running through Toronto, Ontario and the Toronto Area into Lake Ontario, often characterized by their winding paths through deep ravines and distinctive shale banks....
to the west. During the storm, the creek overflowed its banks, completely flooded three streets near the lake, and caused very heavy damage to others. As the water rose, four hundred people were evacuated from a trailer park; some time later during the night, trailers as long as 12.2 m (40 ft) in length were seized by the creek and became battering rams against other buildings in the area.
In addition to the trailers being swept away by the torrent, many houses, with people still in or on top of them, were swept into Lake Ontario. Many people were saved when the houses in which they took shelter were stopped by trees from going into the lake. The reeve, Marie Curtis, was quoted in the Globe and Mail saying that if it were not for the trees, half of the village would have been swept into the lake. She also described a house with 35 people on its roof that was stopped by two trees from floating into the lake.
After three floods in five years, the 192 properties were expropriated and the area was made into a park. This measure was taken for two reasons: firstly, there was an inherent risk of a similar catastrophic flood, with a heavier death toll avoided by a stroke of luck; and secondly, because as a result of flood erosion, a sanitary sewer which ran 2.1 m (6.9 ft) below the riverbed now only ran 0.9 m (3 ft) below. Of the 192 properties that were expropriated, 43 were totally destroyed, 68 were seriously damaged, 37 were slightly damaged, 30 garages were destroyed, and one store was seriously damaged.
Due to many houses being trapped by trees and not swept into the lake, as well as the effective rescue measures taken, only seven people were killed. The area is now Marie Curtis Park, named after the reeve at the time of the disaster.
Don River
In the east side of Toronto, areas near Don River received some flooding, but it was not as severe due to the substantially smaller amount of rainfall. Since most of the rain still went into the river, the level of the water rose substantially, and there was some flooding, but compared to the Humber or Etobicoke Creek, there was relatively little property damage, and no loss of life was reported.Areas outside of the Greater Toronto Area
With Hazel striking Canada directly at Toronto (it was in fact directly over downtown Toronto at one point), the Greater Toronto Area suffered the heaviest damages and vast majority of the fatalities were concentrated there. However, other communities were also affected by Hazel.Directly north of Toronto, the town of Barrie
Barrie, Ontario
Barrie is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada, located on the western shore of Lake Simcoe, approximately 90 km north of Toronto. Although located in Simcoe County, the city is politically independent...
was flooded, which damaged some roads and sewers. In Beeton, five people, in two cars, were killed when they were washed off a bridge. In Ottawa, a fence at Lansdowne Park
Lansdowne Park
Lansdowne Park is a historic sports, exhibition and entertainment facility in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, owned by the City of Ottawa. It is located along Bank Street and is adjacent to the Rideau Canal, in central Ottawa...
was blown over; with the Rough Riders
Ottawa Rough Riders
The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded in 1876. One of the oldest and longest lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup championship nine times. Their most dominant era was the 1960s and 1970s, a...
scheduled to play the Toronto Argonauts
Toronto Argonauts
The Toronto Argonauts are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League. The Toronto, Ontario based team was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest existing professional sports teams in North America, after the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta...
, officials were worried that many fans would get in for free as the hole in the fence could not be fixed in time. Across the river
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
, a man from Hull
Hull, Quebec
Hull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
was electrocuted trying to move a tree that was felled by the storm, which downed a power line. As Hazel passed over James Bay
James Bay
James Bay is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Both bodies of water extend from the Arctic Ocean. James Bay borders the provinces of Quebec and Ontario; islands within the bay are part of Nunavut...
, the area near Moosonee reported heavy winds and snowfall.
Aftermath
As a result of the catastrophic damage and severe death tolls in the Caribbean, United States and Canada, the name Hazel was retired, and will never again be used for an Atlantic hurricaneAtlantic hurricane
North Atlantic tropical cyclones usually form in the northern hemisphere summer or fall. Tropical cyclones can be categorized by intensity. Tropical storms have one-minute maximum sustained winds of at least 39 mph , while hurricanes have one-minute maximum sustained exceeding 74 mph...
. Since it was retired before the creation of formal lists, it was not replaced with any particular name.
Cleanup
Eight hundred troops—fifteen militia groups and eight army reserve units—were summoned to Toronto to assist with the cleanup. Local members of the navy assisted by providing boats and 100 men. The army donated 900 blankets, 350 mattresses, 175 double decker beds, and 150 stretchers in the relief effort. Tools such as bulldozers, crowbars, flamethrowers, pike poles were used to search for bodies. The length of time for which the militia, composed of civilians could help was limited, as their employers could not afford keep paying them during their absence. Most stayed for two weeks, but some remained, while others continued to volunteer during their time off.Torontonians as a whole collectively helped out with the relief effort. The Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
received so many donations, of clothers, footwear, blankets, food, and money, that its storage facilities were overfilled. As a result, it had to request that no more donations were needed, with assurances that they will be accepted when the need arises. The Salvation Army also provided 100 volunteers. The Boy Scouts
Scouts Canada
Scouts Canada is a Canadian Scouting association that, in affiliation with the French-language Association des Scouts du Canada, is a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement...
patrolled Etobicoke for looters, while their British counterparts donated to them 454 kg (1,000.9 lb) pounds of supplies. The Red Cross sent rescuers to Long Branch and sheltered 90 people in Port Credit and 30 in Lambton. They provided supplies and shelter to 300 residents of Holland Marsh who had evacuated to Bradford. Nurses gave typhoid shots in Woodbridge, and Toronto provided them with water. The city also placed heavy machinery such as bulldozers, shovel loaders, and trucks, to assist in the cleanup, at any community's disposal.
Financial relief
Governments made major financial contributions to the relief effort. Toronto City Council donated $50,000 (2009: $407,000), which criticised as too little. Metropolitan Toronto proposed to separately donate $100,000 (2009: $813,000), but due to the special legislation required for this donation, the total amount donated was $112,000 (2009: $911,000), with the City paying 62%. A councillor also estimated that since the other contributions of men and equipment, the total value of donations was $500,000 (2009: $4,100,000), which was a popular alternate proposal for the financial donation within the Council. The federal government donated $1,000,000 (2009: $8,100,000) which matched the provincial donation.The Hurricane Relief Fund (HRF) was established to "receive contributions from all those citizens in this province and elsewhere who desire to assist those who have lost so much." The HRF received donations from a variety of sources. The neighbouring City of Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
donated $20,000 (2009: $163,000). Pope Pius XII
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
"sent his 'deepest sympathy'" gave $10,000 (2009: $81,000). The Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
donated $25,000 (2009: $203,000), Laura Secord Candy Shops gave $1000 (2009: $8,100), and the British American Oil Company donated $20,000 (2009: $163,000). The Atkinson Charitable Foundation gave $250,000 (2009: $2,000,000), while the United Church of Canada
United Church of Canada
The United Church of Canada is a Protestant Christian denomination in Canada. It is the largest Protestant church and, after the Roman Catholic Church, the second-largest Christian church in Canada...
donated $5000 (2009: $41,000). Approximately $5,100,000 (2009: $41,80,000) was distributed from a total fund of about $5,300,000 (2009: $43,000,000), with half the remainder set aside as a contingency reserve in the event of unresolved claims, and the other half being used up through administration expenses.
Insurance companies set up offices in New Toronto
New Toronto
The historic Town of New Toronto is a neighbourhood in the south-west end of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the south-centre of the former Township of Etobicoke and was an independent municipality from 1913 to 1967, one of the former 'Lakeshore Municipalities'...
, Woodbridge and Newmarket to handle the claims in the wake of Hazel. Due to previous flooding, many found out that damage as a result of flooding was not covered. However, in some cases, if wind broke a window during the storm, partial reimbursement could be obtained for water damage, by the logic that some water would enter the dwelling through the window.
Conservation
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority or Office de protection de la nature de Toronto et de la région is one of 36 conservation authorities in Ontario, Canada...
was created though the merger of smaller, regional conservation authorities, with the mission to manage the area's floodplains and rivers. For instance, there had been previously rejected plans to build dams along the Humber River to control flooding; after the storm, some were built, but they would not prevent flooding in another weather event with Hazel's intensity and the same mitigating circumstances. Other than making changes in the Greater Toronto Area, flood control in Ontario and Canada as a whole became a more important issue.
Land in heavily-flooded areas was expropriated, and policies were instituted to prevent home construction and other development projects in ravines or floodplains. Most of this expropriated land was turned into parkland. The expropriation proved controversial, especially over the financial compensation given to home owners. According to the Ontario Mobile Home Association, owners of trailers were compensated substantially less proportional to house owners. For example, between Dundas Street
Dundas Street (Toronto)
Dundas Street, also known as Highway 5 west of Toronto, is a major arterial road connecting the centre of that city with its western suburbs and southwestern Ontario beyond...
and Lake Ontario, the Humber River is parkland, while what was Raymore Drive at the time of the storm was turned into Raymore Park, which contains a footbridge over the Humber dedicated to the victims. Flood controls were instituted along the flooded waterways; downstream from Raymore Drive, a weir was built, and a retaining wall was built on the left bank of the Humber opposite the most eastern end of the street.
See also
- List of Canadian hurricanes
- List of retired Atlantic hurricane names
- History of TorontoHistory of TorontoThe Toronto area was home to a number of First Nations groups who lived on the shore of Lake Ontario. At various times, the Neutral, Seneca, Mohawk and Cayuga nations were living in the vicinity of Toronto. The first permanent European presence was the French trading fort Fort Rouillé, which was...
- Geography and climate of TorontoGeography and climate of TorontoThe city of Toronto, Canada, covers an area of and is bounded by Lake Ontario to the south, Etobicoke Creek and Highway 427 to the west, Steeles Avenue to the north, and the Rouge River to the east. In addition to Etobicoke Creek and the Rouge River, the city is trisected by two minor rivers and...