Toronto Islands 'far from fine' as Lake Ontario water levels rise

Lake Ontario water levels are inching closer to those last seen during the 2017 floods that inundated the Toronto Islands, the city's conservation authority says.

Average water levels are currently sitting at 75.85 metres, just eight centimetres shy of the maximum daily water levels seen two years ago, according to Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

"It's far from fine," said James Dann, manager of parks with the City of Toronto, at a morning news conference.

Dann said that due to the stormy conditions last night, upwards of 22 centimetres of water flowed into residential areas.

With Saturday's forecast calling for showers with a risk of thunderstorms, residents are bracing themselves to see water levels exceed the record.

There are 24 industrial pumps operating 24-hours a day to keep water levels down, he said.

Coun. Joe Cressy said the islands are in-need of a more permanent fix.

"An annual sandbagging effort cannot be the solution," he told reporters, adding that city staff have been working 14 to 16-hour shifts since last night.

A forthcoming TRCA report, commissioned last year, will include recommendations for long-term adaptation and mitigation measures, Cressy said. The report is expected in June.

Residents on the islands are fearing a return of 2017 conditions.

"People were panicking last night," said Tony Farebrother, the co-chair of the Toronto Island Community Association.

Watch waves breach sandbags on the Toronto Islands on Thursday night:

Farebrother has lived on the islands for 24 years. He said that things have reached a crisis.

"I was crying last night when the waters poured in the wall."

The island remains open to tourists and residents but non-essential vehicles are not permitted on the island for the next three days as crews do their work, Dann explained.

In a series of tweets last night, city spokesperson Brad Ross said water breached the sandbags on the north shore of Ward's Island.

High winds in Toronto harbour caused waves to knock sandbags clear, allowing water to flow onto the island.

The water has reached some residents' doors, while others have their crawl spaces flooded, Ross says. Earlier this month, TRCA issued a shoreline hazard warning and cautioned that average water levels will likely reach 75.93 metres — those of 2017 — when flooding closed the Toronto Islands for several months.