GTA, regional mayors to discuss ice storm relief

680news.com
Jan. 17, 2014

GTA and regional mayors, including Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion, will be meeting today to discuss an ice storm disaster relief plan to present to the province.

The gathering is designed to put forward a coordinated front in the request for provincial disaster relief funding to help cover the cost of ice storm cleanup.

McCallion requested the meeting last week, saying the municipalities would all have a better chance of getting some disaster relief money from the province if they united around a master plan, rather than present individual cases carrying various costs.

Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly will also be in attendance.

The leaders are going to be meeting for most of the morning, and will then reveal what plan they’ve agreed to at a news conference scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at the Living Arts Centre.

The Dec. 21, 2013, ice storm brought down hydro poles and tree limbs and left 300,000 customers without power for days.

Toronto city officials say the costs for the GTA could top $250 million for the region, with cleanup costs in Toronto alone estimated at $106 million.

The unprecedented ice storm wreaked havoc on many parts of the province, including Mississauga and Brampton, which estimate cleanup and recovery costs will be $25 million and $51 million, respectively.

City officials in Vaughan estimate the ice storm will cost $21 million.