Ontario doles out $5.5M to small communities for storm clean up, recovery

Nearly two dozen small municipalities in Ontario will share $5.5 million to help with recovering from extreme weather.

Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Graydon Smith announced Monday that the funding will help 22 small municipalities with clearing downed trees and other debris as well as forest regeneration.

Don DeGenova, mayor of Tweed, in eastern Ontario, says residents have been living “under an umbrella of fear” since a July 24 tornado and he is grateful for the funding.

The government says the money is being provided on a one-time basis for municipalities that asked for help with clean up and forest regeneration efforts.

The July tornado touched down in eastern Ontario, tearing roofs from houses, downing trees onto major roadways and toppling hydro lines serving tens of thousands of customers.

In May, a derecho – a line of intense, fast-moving windstorms – swept through Ontario and Quebec, starting around Sarnia, Ont., damaging buildings and temporarily forcing many people from their homes.

Municipalities receiving funding:

• Addington Highlands Township: $54,975.26
• Municipality of Tweed: $1,203,801.74
• Municipality of Marmora and Lakes: $138,271.41
• Township of Madoc: $889,964.62
• Township of Tudor and Cashel: $251,415
• Township of North Kawartha: $59,480.61
• Township of Havelock-Belmont-Methuen: $115,116.04
• Township of Limerick: $222,491.15
• United Counties of Prescott and Russell: $1,223,701.35
• Township of Drummond/North Elmsley: $74,663
• Municipality of Mississippi Mills: $150,000
• Town of Carleton Place: $150,000
• Township of Greater Madawaska: $34,143
• Township of Central Frontenac: $150,000
• Tay Valley Township: $19,102.11
• Township of Lanark Highlands: $57,046.34
• Township of North Frontenac: $169,093.28
• Township of Edwardsburgh Cardinal: $150,000
• Township of Beckwith: $110,342.85
• Municipality of Port Hope: $40,000
• Douro-Dummer Township: $141,323.23
• Otonabee-South Monaghan Township: $95,068.73

4:32 What is a derecho and why did it cause so much damage?

– with files from Greg Davis/Global News Peterborough