The Town of La Ronge currently follows a 1 in 500-year standard. (Image Credit: Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

municipal planning

WSA to develop 200-year flood map for La Ronge

Feb 10, 2026 | 1:29 PM

Council has authorized administration to work with the Water Security Agency (WSA) to prepare a one in 200-year flood map, at no cost to the municipality, for potential inclusion in the Zoning Bylaw and the Official Community Plan.

According to documents prepared by administration, effective July 31, 2025, the provincial government updated its flood risk policy by adopting a one in 200-year flood standard for new developments, shifting away from the previous one in 500-year standard.  

This change aligns provincial guidelines, with federal disaster financial assistance programs, and is intended to enhance community safety, support sustainable development in flood-fringe areas, and ensuring consistent flood-proofing requirements across the province. 

“In making this shift, the province, through the WSA, has created a flood mapping program for the purpose of developing updated flood hazard maps for municipalities that are at a higher risk of severe, recurrent or damaging flooding,” the document reads.  

“The development of updated flood mapping is intended to support land use planning, zoning bylaws, emergency preparedness, infrastructure planning and flood mitigation efforts for sustainable community development. The mapping will be prepared and provided to municipalities at no cost.” 

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The town’s Zoning Bylaw utilizes one in 500-year flood mapping and its Official Community Plan policies and zoning regulations are based accordingly. Should the town opt to have a new ine in 500-year flood mapping prepared, this may instigate minor tweaks to the flood maps included in the Zoning Bylaw, due to the updated information which is based on newer, improved technology. 

In addition, should council decide to have the one in 200-year flood mapping prepared, it would give them the opportunity to see how it compares to the existing mapping and what kinds of changes it would bring if council decided to use it. 

La Ronge Mayor Joe Hordyski is in favour of following a 200-year plan as it is in line with the federal government and will reduce the amount of municipal land in a historical flood zone. 

“A good example of the impacts of those is if you look at what happened at the Montreal River Bridge, that is built under the 500-year and that’s two meters above the historical flood, which at the base of the road, it just trickled over back in 2011, so you can imagine the extra cost that went in to raise it an extra meter,” he explained. 

“So, if you look at properties within the town, the cost of meeting the higher standard … is probably just not necessary to put our residents through that, so we can be more reasonable and fit in with the federal guidelines as well.” 

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com