Ontario offers $190 million for ice storm aid

GTA municipalities are getting as much as $190 million from the minority Liberal government to cover repair and cleanup costs for a Christmas ice storm that felled trees and power lines

Toronto Star
Feb. 26, 2014
By Rob Ferguson

Ontario municipalities will get about $190 million from the minority Liberal government to cover repair and cleanup costs for a Christmas ice storm that felled trees and power lines, leaving 800,000 without electricity.

GTA mayors alone had asked for a total of $250 million, with Toronto requesting $106 million along with $65 million to fix problems from flash flooding in a July rainstorm.

Municipal Affairs Minister Linda Jeffrey said Wednesday the $60 million gap between the $250 million sought and the $190 million offered stems from “preliminary” estimates as cities and towns tried to pinpoint costs created by up to 30 mm of ice on hydro wires and trees.

“I think that most municipalities will be pleased with this response,” she told reporters at Queen’s Park, ruling out flood money for Toronto from the ice storm fund.

“We’ve had the last few weeks with our teams going out and working with municipal staff to really hone down that number,” she added. “This number I think, will get them more than they actually asked for.”

So far, 32 municipalities in the GTA and southern, western and eastern Ontario have passed council resolutions requesting provincial assistance.

With many still clearing debris and assessing damage in parks, for example, Jeffrey said she could not provide an exact amount of disaster relief or a breakdown by municipality. “It’s still too early.”

However, she replied “yes” when asked if the payouts could go over $190 million for eligible expenses, such as setting up warming centres, covering police overtime, and clearing up and disposing of debris.

Ontario has requested reimbursement from the federal government - with a letter sent Wednesday to Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Minister Steven Blaney - for some of the costs, Jeffrey said.

The one-time funding is good but the province clearly needs a better disaster response program, said Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod (Nepean—Carleton), who proposed a select committee in the legislature to examine problems in dealing with the December storm, such as the loose distribution of gift cards to replace spoiled groceries.

“Funding is one issue. Getting it right in the long term is another,” MacLeod added.

New Democrat environment critic Peter Tabuns (Toronto-Danforth) said Toronto is being “shortchanged” in the government’s $190 million announcement.

He also called for a better disaster response program after the ice storm, where older and overgrown trees proved trouble for hydro lines.

“The provincial government has been negligent in preparing for extreme weather … how to we prepare so we don’t have to go through this in the future?”

Falling trees and limbs heavy with ice not only took down power lines, some landed on houses and cars causing further damage and prompting $200 million in private insurance claims.

The disaster relief assistance comes with the province girding for a possible spring election if an upcoming budget from Premier Kathleen Wynne - who made many public appearances on blacked out streets and at warming shelters during the December storm - does not win support from opposition parties.

Mayors were briefed on the funding and the rationale behind it before Jeffrey’s announcement.

Toronto city manager Joe Pennachetti said the city’s costs were originally estimated at $106 million, but after refining the numbers, the city’s formal request was for help with $86.5 million of cleanup expenses.

The province has agreed to fund that amount, without asking Toronto property taxpayers to pay a share, Pennachetti said.

While there was no help announced towards $65 million of July flood costs, the city will keep talking to the province on that issue, Pennachetti said.

Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly said he was pleased that the province has come through, and there will be no hit to the Toronto property taxpayer.

Kelly said the province will look to recoup some of the costs from the federal government but isn’t looking to the city to pitch in with cash.

“I think it’s fair to say that virtually all of Toronto’s storm clear-up costs should be eligible, will be eligible, for coverage,” Kelly said. “I’m delighted to say thank you to the minister, to the premier, to the government.”

“This is not just good news, this is great news,” the deputy mayor added. “I think this reflects the nature of the relationship between this city and the province which is one of partnership.”