UPDATE: York municipalities will receive ice storm recovery assistance

YorkRegion.com
Feb. 26, 2014
By Sean Pearce

Working with the federal government, the province plans to assist York municipalities impacted by December’s ice storm to fund all eligible recovery costs through a one-time Ice Storm Assistance Program.

Although details aren’t finalized, the province says eligible costs may be as high as $190 million based on estimates provided by towns and cities in the GTA.

Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti said he's "ecstatic" about the fact the province will provide aid.

Recognizing the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program was geared toward communities that had been devastated by a disaster, he and other municipal leaders urged Premier Kathleen Wynne to offer some form of special assistance in the aftermath of the punishing winter storm, he said, adding it's great to see that happening.

"I really want to applaud the province on this," Mr. Scarpitti said, adding he looks forward to ironing out the remaining details.

The financial impact of the storm on Markham is about $17 million and climbing, as clean-up work proceeds, Mr. Scarpitti said, explaining the expense would have put serious pressure on the city's corporate stabilization account.

City leaders expected they would have to implement a 0.5-per-cent property tax increase over several years to replenish the fund, he said, adding they went so far as to include a 0.16-per-cent hike in the 2014 budget to begin that process.

Given that, news of some provincial help on the way is most welcome, he added.

Richmond Hill Deputy Mayor Vito Spatafora told the York Region Media Group he is pleased with Ms Jeffrey’s announcement since the Dec. 22 storm damaged thousands of trees in the town and anticipated clean up costs are estimated to be $6.4 million, he said. That’s money that would have to come out of the municipal reserves without help, he said.

“It’s a welcome relief,” Mr. Spatafora said. “It’s also good to see the province and the feds are working together on this.”

Trees throughout Richmond Hill were damaged or destroyed by the ice storm, Mr. Spatafora said, adding he expects the cleanup will continue into the spring.

The impact of the storm is one of the reasons he has suggested the town establish a disaster relief reserve to set aside funds to deal with the effects of any future severe weather events.

York Region chairperson Bill Fisch indicated he, too, was glad to see the province coming to the table with some relief.

“York Region is pleased to see the Province of Ontario has committed to providing financial assistance for recovery costs associated with last December’s ice storm,” he said in an email. “We look forward to learning more about the specific program details once they are finalized.”

Beyond the region, Markham and Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Whitchurch-Stouffville, King and Newmarket requested help through the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program.

While the region itself has yet to release a total, Vaughan has estimated its costs in relation to the storm will total about $21 million, while Stouffville predicts the price tag of its clean up efforts will be $158,000 and King expects its total to run as high as $200,000.

The news will likely be welcomed by other GTA municipalities battered by the pre-Christmas storm. The severe weather event not only felled trees, but froze roads and left as many as 800,000 people without electricity.

At a mid-January mayors summit held in Mississauga, it was stated the cost from the storm to municipalities and utilities across the GTA could be around $275 million. The mayors banded together to request the provincial and federal governments help with the clean-up, that they treat all municipalities equally and that a response be provided by March 1.