TORONTO – Toronto NDP MP Olivia Chow, flanked by several NDP MPs, urged the federal government on Thursday to provide swift financial aid to Canada’s largest city hit hard by an ice storm that left hundreds of thousands without power over the Christmas holidays.
“Last June, Calgary had a flood and in November they had relief,” said Chow during a press conference in Ottawa. “It was within four months that the federal government acted.”
“So Stephen Harper, be fair. Act now. Help out Toronto.”
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Toronto council voted unanimously to declare the city a disaster area this week which allows it to ask for money from the federal and provincial governments to help with storm clean up costs.
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“Already they are paying a lot of property taxes. They can’t afford an extra five per cent tax increase to pay for the clean up of the ice storm,” Chow said.
A statement issued from Conservative Scarborough Centre MP Roxanne James said the government has yet to receive any requests for help from Toronto and other parts of southern Ontario.
“Contrary to what the NDP has said, I would like to assure everyone that there is a non-political, proven process in place for the provision of financial assistance to provinces and territories in the event of a large scale disaster,” James said in a statement to Global News.
“We always stand ready to assist provinces for eligible expenses under the agreement.”
The cost of the ice storm clean up is pegged at $106 million, money which the city says is unable to fully cover without raising taxes.
Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly said this week he hopes the provincial and federal government will each pitch in one third of the cost.
READ MORE: Homeowners face insurance hikes, legal action following extreme weather
The December ice storm knocked out power to an estimated 300,000 Toronto Hydro customers, with some homes going without electricity for more than a week.
“This storm was an incredible experience for the city of Toronto,” said NDP’s Toronto caucus chair, Andrew Cash. “We’ve heard nothing from the federal government since before Christmas.”
Combined with last July’s floods, the city estimates the cost of both weather events at $171 million.
Meanwhile, at least five other GTA councils — Brampton, Mississauga, Caledon, Hamilton and North Perth — have already voted on motions asking for their municipalities to be declared as disaster areas.
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