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Further west, near Fitzroy Harbour, the planning board predicted the river would only increase another centimetre and would peak Sunday.

“Water levels continue to rise but at a slower rate as the rain ends,” said a bulletin from the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority on Sunday. “A peak is expected to be reached by (Monday) on the Ottawa as the flows in the tributary rivers reach peaks through this evening and overnight.”

Photo by Ashley Fraser / Postmedia

The rainfall warning ended for the Ottawa-Gatineau area overnight on Saturday, with more than 117 mm having fallen on the region since May 1.

The City of Ottawa has activated its emergency operations though it hasn’t declared a formal state of emergency. The city said staff recommended against it as city services were responding within their capacity.

The city was working with and receiving voluntary assistance from the province and there are no financial or operational benefits to declaring a state of emergency, staff said in a memo to councillors.

The city has instead formally asked the ministry of municipal affairs and housing to activate the Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians program which, if approved, could provide financial assistance to homeowners, tenants, small owner-operated businesses, farmers and not-for-profit organizations to cover emergency expenses and costs to repair or replace essential property.

Federal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale tweeted the federal government would provide emergency materials requested by the province.

In Gatineau, where a state of emergency has been declared, Canadian Forces personnel used their heavy vehicles to help police reach difficult to access areas.

Capt. James Fitzgerald said soldiers were focusing on three priority communities: Pontiac, the MRC of Pontiac, and Gatineau.

The deployment in Gatineau involves 80 soldiers with 20 vehicles, plus 60 engineers who arrived Sunday around 10 a.m. with boats. He said the divisional commander said “a lot more soldiers” are coming, but did not know how many, although the Canadian Forces said in a statement that 1,200 troops would assist in flood-ravaged regions across Quebec, including Saint-Jean sur Richelieu, Shawinigan, Laval and Gatineau.

“We’re here in the service of the civilian authorities,” Fitzgerald said as the arriving engineers set up their cots in the Hull Regiment’s parade hall. “It’s their show; we’re just here to help.”