The cleanup process from the May 21 derecho has been long and will likely take several more weeks in the city of Peterborough.
According to a report that went to general committee on Monday, the actual and estimated costs to date for the storm total $3.3 million.
Staff will continue to monitor the actual costs as they are incurred and determine if the minimum threshold for the provincial Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance (MDRA) program has been met.
MDRA provides funding to municipalities for the response and recovery costs of a natural disaster when those costs equal at least three per cent of the municipality’s own purpose taxation revenue, which is $4.4 million, or roughly $1.1 million more than the current storm cost estimate.
“MDRA funds 75 per cent of eligible costs up to the three per cent of own purpose taxation revenue threshold, and 95 per cent of costs over that threshold,” the report states.
In the wake of the storm, the city declared a state of emergency on May 24.
Hydro One, with the help of several utility companies from across Canada and the U.S., fully restored power to the city on May 31.
According to the report, public works responded to more than 12,100 calls for service in the week following the storm.
The estimated cost to date for tree removals, cleanup and the purchase and rental of equipment for the cleanup is $625,000.
The city expanded green waste collection to assist with the removal of tree limbs and branches from private property with a specialized collection beginning the week of June 20.
A free temporary drop-off site was established on Kennedy Road until June 19.
The city estimates the total costs for receiving, processing and transporting the additional green waste to be $400,000.
Fees for receiving green waste at the landfill were suspended for the entire month of June.
For social services, special emergency assistance was provided to 4,335 individuals to replace spoiled food, at a cost of $325,125.
Future costs for the recovery of the city’s tree canopy are estimated at $1.75 million.
In addition to MDRA, there’s also a Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontarians (DRAO) program, which requires activation by the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
So far, neither program has been activated for the city, although the two programs can be activated independently and are not reliant on each other.
The report will go to council for final approval on July 25 with a followup report expected in September.
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