City to receive finalized 2013 ice storm payments

Bramptonguardian.com
Dec. 22, 2015
By Peter Criscione

Two full years later, the Ontario government has finalized payments to municipalities to help cover costs of the December 2013 ice storm.

Brampton is to receive $15,764,969. Last February, the city received an interim payment of $6,604,414 under the program.

The Ontario Government set up a $190-million compensation program for communities hardest hit.

The ice storm caused widespread damage and blackouts across southern, western and eastern Ontario, leaving more than 800,000 hydro customers without power at the peak of the storm.

Locally, an estimated 15,500 people lost power, trees snapped and toppled over from the weight of the ice, and branches littered the roads, often making them impassable.

By Dec. 22, the city’s call centre handled some 6,000 calls, compared to the 350 on a usual Sunday.

The city figured 42,000 trees were lost to the ice.

The initial estimate of the financial impact of the ice storm provided to city council was $81 million, of which only about $31 million was eligible for compensation under the $190-million program.

 Brampton submitted a $18.87 million claim under the Ontario Ice Storm Assistance Program (OISAP).

Mississauga will receive $ $8,307,061 with another $755,993 and $2,366,874 going to Caledon and Peel Region respectively.