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OTTAWA – More than five months after a powerful storm damaged property and left people without power for days, the city of Ottawa has yet to be reimbursed for its restoration costs from the state government.
The Derecho occurred around Sarnia, Ontario on May 21, and traveled north to Quebec, killing 11 people, damaging buildings and temporarily displacing many people from their homes.
Outgoing Ottawa mayor Jim Watson is still discussing reimbursement with the state government, which has pledged to pay all local government restoration costs, according to the mayor’s office.
The storm bill is pegged at about $20 million for city restoration, including repairing damage to municipal property and clearing debris.
“They said they’re there for us, they’ll help us,” said the extrovert Kaun. . “So there is no reason to believe that they will not deliver on that promise or follow through.”
If the state government doesn’t keep its promises, the city may have to take money from its reserves for unforeseen financial emergencies, he said.
Insurance Canada said it would be the sixth costliest storm for insurers in Canadian history, with insured losses surpassing $875 million.
In late September, Watson wrote a second letter to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, designating the city as an eligible area for funding from Ontario’s Disaster Recovery Assistance Program. It allows homeowners, tenants, nonprofits, small businesses, and farms to file financial assistance claims for storm-related damage.
The mayor’s office says it has not yet received a response.
Earl. Katherine Kitts, who returned to office in the recent local elections, has been advocating for many affected residents months later. I said there are people.
“People feel really hurt and abandoned by the government,” Kitts said. “Why do you have this program if you don’t use it after a disaster?”
This report by the Canadian Press was first published on October 31, 2022.
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This article was produced with financial support from the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
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