In the beginning of April, rising temperatures led to melting snow, which increased water levels in the Chaudière River.

Surrounding towns of Ripon, Cayamant, Duhamel, Gracefield, Montpellier and Waltham also experienced flooding, isolating some residents.

The local fire department in Gatineau rescued and evacuated approximately 533 people, with the Red Cross providing shelter for close to 1000.

[11] In Ottawa, Mayor Jim Watson said that 346 residences had been flooded in the city, with 90% of them found in West Carleton-March Ward.

The town of Rigaud declared a state of emergency on 20 April to deal with rising floodwaters, calling for the evacuation of 470 households.

The hardest hit areas on the Island of Montreal were communities close to the Rivière des Prairies, including Pierrefonds-Roxboro and L'Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève