Sioux Lookout adds portable pumps and power units to flood response

SIOUX LOOKOUT — Regional News – Sioux Lookout has acquired two portable flood-response kits designed for places where sandbagging alone may not be enough to protect homes and municipal infrastructure.

The municipality says each kit includes a water pump, a portable power source and organized storage for hoses and connectors. Crews will be able to move the kits to trouble spots as conditions change. If one is deployed in a residential area, its power unit may also provide electricity to nearby residents.

Hydro One’s Community Partnership Grant paid for the equipment. The utility lists Sioux Lookout among 31 municipalities selected for grants of up to $25,000 in 2026, but neither the municipality nor Hydro One disclosed the amount awarded to Sioux Lookout.

Mayor Doug Lawrance said the equipment should shorten response times and help protect critical infrastructure during future flooding. Municipal clerk and chief administrative officer Brian MacKinnon said the kits will be available where sandbags are insufficient.

The purchase follows the municipality’s spring flood-preparation work. In May, Sioux Lookout advised residents that sand and filled sandbags were available through the public works yard and urged property owners to move valuables and hazardous materials away from low areas.

The new pumps add mechanical capacity to that system, but the release did not provide their flow rating, deployment protocol or total purchase price. Those details would determine how much water the equipment can move and how it will be prioritized during a widespread event.

Hydro One’s grant program supports municipal projects such as portable emergency power, flood barriers, sump pumps, sandbagging tools and upgrades to emergency shelters or critical facilities.