A rare storm event occurred in Steinbach, Manitoba, bringing two months of rainfall in a single night, which typically happens once in a century. The city’s animal shelter, despite moving to a new facility over two years ago, faced evacuation due to flooding every September. Approximately 200 residents are awaiting confirmation on financial assistance for consecutive floods from a provincial disaster relief fund.
In 2024, Steinbach experienced heavy rainfall of 156 millimetres over September 16-17. This year, the storm was more severe, with 103 millimetres falling in just four hours on September 11-12, totaling 135 millimetres by the end of the downpour, as reported by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue had to temporarily rehome 22 animals during the cleanup process, costing the organization $50,000 in overland flooding deductibles over two years. Despite ongoing repairs, the shelter remains incomplete.
The city manager, Troy Warkentin, mentioned that the province is yet to declare the flooding a disaster and approve aid for around 200 residents seeking assistance through the Manitoba Disaster Financial Assistance program. An approved disaster aid for this year’s wildfires has already been announced, but the community awaits a decision on the recent flooding events.
Efforts are underway to enhance infrastructure to better handle future extreme weather events. The city council is planning to expand lift stations and drainage infrastructure in the upcoming budget, considering Steinbach’s rapid population growth. However, the magnitude of the storms in 2024 and 2025 overwhelmed existing systems, emphasizing the need for further improvements to mitigate future risks.