Use the information on this page to help you understand and prepare for flooding if you live in the Dixie-Dundas area of the City of Mississauga.
1. KNOW YOUR RISKS
The Dixie-Dundas flood vulnerable cluster* is located near the intersection of Dixie Road and Dundas Street East in the city of Mississauga, and is a designated Special Policy Area** (SPA).
*A flood vulnerable cluster is an area within the floodplain that has a high concentration of buildings and roads that could be impacted by riverine flooding.
**A Special Policy Area (SPA) is an area within a community that has historically existed in the floodplain and where site-specific Provincial policies are intended to provide for the continued viability of existing uses.
Do You Live in an Area at Risk of Riverine Flooding?
USE OUR MAP VIEWER TO FIND OUT.
If you’re not sure whether your home is in a floodplain, use Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s (TRCA) map viewer to find out. Just enter your address in the search bar.
If your home lies within the blue shaded areas (as shown below), you are within the floodplain and could be at risk of flooding.
Understanding Flood Risk in Mississauga
Located on Little Etobicoke Creek, the Dixie-Dundas flood vulnerable cluster lies near the intersection of Dixie Road and Dundas Street East in the city of Mississauga.
This area is subject to flooding due to a combination of factors: capacity constraints in the river channel, along with backwater from multiple culvert crossings.
The Little Etobicoke Creek watershed is highly urbanized, making the Dixie-Dundas cluster susceptible to flooding from intense summer thunderstorms. The area experienced significant flooding during the storm of July 8, 2013, when flows overtopped the engineered channel and began flowing south along Queen Frederica Drive.
Learn more from TRCA about flood risk in general HERE.
What Types of Flooding Can Affect Mississauga Residents?
Did you know that there are several types of flooding? Different levels of government are responsible for different types of flooding. To find out who to contact during a flood, see BE PREPARED.
- Riverine flooding occurs when the water levels of rivers rise, overflowing their banks. Reducing riverine flood risk is under the mandate of Conservation Authorities like TRCA.
- Urban or Pluvial flooding consists of street flooding, basement flooding, and flooding of other low-lying areas due to the overflow of local drainage systems. Municipalities are responsible for managing this type of flooding.
Flooding in Mississauga Can Happen at Any Time of Year
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WINTER: Ice jams can occur behind crossings and at bends in rivers, causing water levels to back up behind the jammed ice. |
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SPRING: Little Etobicoke Creek can experience high flows in the spring as rainfall and melting snow add flows to the river. |
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SUMMER: Parts of Little Etobicoke Creek can flood when intense, localized, downpours occur with summer thunderstorms. |
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FALL: Large wet weather systems, including tropical storms such as Hurricane remnants (like Hurricane Hazel in 1954), can last for several days. Prolonged and heavy precipitation, on top of already saturated soils, can cause rivers to rise. |
How Will I Know If Flooding In Mississauga Is Forecasted?
- TRCA operates a Flood Forecasting and Warning Program. If flooding is possible or about to occur, TRCA issues flood messages to designated individuals within municipalities, local agencies, school boards, the media, and members of the public who self-subscribe. LEARN MORE
- TRCA maintains a network of river and rainfall gauges. You can get real-time gauging information HERE.
Flood Protection in Mississauga
The Dixie Dundas Channel and Dike work together to provide flood protection to residents living near Little Etobicoke Creek in the Dixie-Dundas area.
Watershed: Etobicoke Creek | Location: Located at Dixie Road and Golden Orchard Drive, Mississauga | Construction Date: 1990
Built between 1990 and 1996, the Dixie Dundas Channel is designed to provide flood protection from the 100-year storm. It is constructed of stacked armour stone with earthen levee. The hand-placed river stone, embedded within the concrete slab under the Dixie Road bridge, provides a meandering channel for fish passage.
Learn more about TRCA’s flood control infrastructure HERE.
2. BE PREPARED
When it comes to flood preparedness, everyone — homeowners, landlords, renters, and condo owners — has a role to play. You can take steps to prepare; just select a category below to find out more.
Get more preparedness tips from TRCA HERE.
3. STAY INFORMED
Use the following sources to stay informed during a flood:
| • Check your local weather online, or on radio or television before you leave the house. |
| • Check Environment Canada’s public weather alerts |
| • Sign up to receive TRCA flood messages |
| • Check your local municipal and public transit social media links (below). |
Social Media Alerts and Notices
Additional Resources
TRCA Open House Information Session
In March 2020, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) hosted an open house information session to help residents and businesses in the Dixie-Dundas area of the City of Mississauga become better prepared for flood risk. To learn more about riverine flooding in Mississauga, just check out the resources from the open house below.
VIEW THE DISPLAY PANELS FROM THE OPEN HOUSE
You can download a PDF copy of the panels, or view the panels using the document reader below. Select Read Now for a full-screen view; select the arrow to the right to advance to the next page.
Useful Links
| • Emergency Management Ontario |
| • Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act: Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians |
• Public Safety Canada:
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| • Flood Smart Canada – Created in partnership with the Insurance Bureau of Canada, this resource is designed to help Canadians better prepare for flooding. |
| • Electrical Safety Authority: Flood Safety Information |
| • Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation: Flood Protection Resources |
| • Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction: Protect Your Home from Basement Flooding |
Information About Flood Insurance