🌊 Flooded?
Start here.

Need help clearing water or waste?

The City can send help. It is free to register.

TTY: 711. Or email: citizensfirst@stcatharines.ca

Say: "I need help removing water and waste. I want to register."

Need a shower or washroom?

Kiwanis Aquatics Centre lobby. Open from 5:30 a.m.

Need food help?

Community Care is helping flooded families. Ask when you call the City number above.

Volunteers can clean your home - free

Team Rubicon crews are in town now. They remove debris, flooring and wet drywall. No cost. Homes with no insurance or low income come first.

To get them: register with the City above. They will contact you.

Samaritan's Purse also cleans flooded homes free. They remove mud and drywall. They spray to stop mould.

• Put unlimited flood garbage at the curb. No booking needed.
• Free drop-off: Humberstone Landfill or Bridge St. Depot. One truck or trailer per load.
• Big bins: Seymour-Hannah Centre and Bill Burgoyne Arena. Daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. until Aug 22. Bring proof you live here.
• Bins take: drywall, insulation, wood, flooring, shingles, pipes, concrete.

⚠️ Paint, cleaners, propane or batteries got wet?

• Do not put them in the garbage or down the drain.
• Take them to a Niagara Region depot. It is free.

🔌 Wet TVs, computers or phones?

• Drop them off free. Any Niagara resident can.
• These spots do not take fridges, microwaves or other appliances.

🏘️ Your town has its own flood waste page

• St. Catharines flood recovery page
• Lincoln flood cleanup page
• West Lincoln flood waste page
• Deadlines differ by town. Check your town's page.

😷 Wear the gear. Every time.

• N95 mask. Not a cloth mask.
• Rubber or thick nitrile gloves.
• Goggles and rubber boots.

No N95? Do not start. Your lungs matter more than your basement.

⚡ Before you go down there

• Power must be OFF. Your utility or an electrician confirms it. Not you.
• Take photos of everything first. Insurance needs them.
• Never work alone.

🍄 Mould rules

• Mould starts in 1 to 2 days on wet things.
• Soft wet stuff goes out: carpet, mattresses, couches, insulation.
• Cut wet drywall well above the water line.
• Mould patch bigger than a queen bed? Stop. Call a pro.
• Never paint over mould. It grows underneath.

⚠️ Gas and diesel engines make carbon monoxide

• Gas or diesel generators, pumps and pressure washers all make carbon monoxide (CO).
• NEVER run them indoors. Not the basement. Not the garage.
• Keep them 6 metres (20 feet) from the house.
• CO has no smell and no colour. It can kill in minutes.
• Headache or dizzy while an engine runs? Get out. Call 911.

🚫 Who should NOT do this work

• Kids. Ever.
• Pregnant? Asthma or lung problems? Stay out of sewage cleanup.
• Ask for help instead: 905-688-5600.

🚰 On a well? Do not drink yet.

• Floods can push sewage into wells.
• Testing is FREE. Pick up a bottle in Thorold (1815 Sir Isaac Brock Way) or Lincoln (4800 South Service Rd.).
• Until 3 clean tests: use bottled water, or boil 1 full minute.

🥫 Food that touched flood water

• Throw it ALL out. Even sealed jars and bottles.
• Only sealed metal cans can be saved. Wash and disinfect them first.
• When in doubt, throw it out.

⚠️ On a septic system?

• Do not flush or drain while the ground is soaked.
• Do not pump the tank while soil is wet.

Emergency room: Marotta Family Hospital, 1200 Fourth Ave. Open 24/7.
This is the St. Catharines hospital - it used to be called the St. Catharines Site. Same building, new name.

Not an emergency? Skip the wait:

• 💻 Virtual Urgent Care: see a provider from home (Urgent Care Ontario, online).
• 💊 Your pharmacist: rashes, refills, some shots.
• 👩‍⚕️ Your family doctor: many hold same-day spots.

🩹 Cut yourself during cleanup?

• Wash right away with soap and clean water. Cover it.
• Ask about your tetanus shot.
• Red, warm, swollen, oozing? Get care today.

🤢 Upset stomach after cleanup?

• Small sips of fluid, often. Wash hands. Stay home.
• Blood, can't keep fluids down, baby or elderly sick? Emergency.

Floods are hard on people, not just houses.

Feeling on edge, sad, or not sleeping is normal. Free help is here.

For adults

ATTCH Niagara helps with stress and trauma after the flood.

Free flood support sessions. 95 Niagara St., St. Catharines.

More about ATTCH Niagara

For kids, teens and families

Pathstone Mental Health. Free walk-in visits. No referral needed.

Need to talk to someone right now?

• Never let strangers in. Check ID.
• Get quotes in writing. Never pay full cash up front.
• Do not leave tools or valuables outside.

Something happened?

Scam attempt but no money lost? Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre:

• Hire ONE contractor for the whole repair. Let them hire the rest.
• Get their price and contract in writing.
• Ask for a free WSIB clearance certificate. Real companies have one.
• Ask for proof of insurance, sent from their broker.
• Never pay cash with no paper. Cheque or e-transfer, with an invoice.
• Home built before 1990? Old drywall and floors can hold asbestos. Test before tear-out.

Learn how to protect yourself in 20 minutes. Free, no sign-up:

"Don't Be the Boss by Accident" - a Canadian Safety Group course for Ontario homeowners.

Call your insurance company now

• Say: "My home flooded in the St. Catharines flooding. The City declared an emergency August 3rd. I want to open a claim."
• Ask: "Am I covered for sewer backup? For overland flood?" They are different.
• Get the adjuster's name and a claim number. Write them down.

📸 Protect your claim

• Photos of every room and item BEFORE you throw things out.
• Keep every receipt. Every one.

💵 0% emergency loan (PenFinancial Credit Union)

• Up to $30,000 for flood costs.
• 0% interest for the first year. Then 5% fixed.
• Pay it back early any time. No penalty.
• Normal lending rules apply. Not everyone will qualify.

🧾 Behind on taxes because of the flood?

• You can ask the CRA to cancel penalties and interest.
• The CRA has previously cancelled these after floods.
• Each case is decided on its own. Relief is not guaranteed.
• Use Form RC4288. It is free to ask.