Tornadoes in Barrie, other Ontario communities caused $75M in insured damage

The EF-2 tornadoes that hit Barrie and several other Ontario communities on July 15 have caused $75 million in insured damages, according to initial estimates.

The tornadoes resulted in 10 injuries, 71 uninhabitable homes and more than 2,200 property damage insurance claims, the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) said Wednesday.

“Insurers have been in the community since day one, working hard to help their clients throughout the entire claims process, and will be there until all policyholders have been looked after,” IBC Ontario vice-president Kim Donaldson said in a statement.

“We’re beyond thankful that this storm did not lead to any loss of life, which is the most important thing. Homes, cars and businesses can be replaced and fixed, but the same cannot be said of lives.”

Last month, EF-2 tornadoes ripped through Barrie, Innisfil, Kawartha Lakes, Little Britain, Manilla, Lindsay and Lake of Bays.

In Barrie, the hardest-hit community, there is still a long road away to rebuild following the damage.

Last month, the Ontario government activated its disaster recovery assistance program for the part of Barrie that was affected by the tornado. Residents can find out whether they’re eligible for the program on the provincial disaster recovery website.

Those who were impacted by the tornadoes or have questions about their home, car or business insurance are asked to call their insurance rep or IBC’s consumer information centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC.

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