The Grand River Conservation Authority has spent about $108,000 cleaning up damage from last December’s ice storm and the authority is expecting the total bill for its properties to come in around $400,000.
“This amount may change as the cleanup progresses and as some areas that were previously inaccessible can be assessed more thoroughly,” noted Dave Bennett, director of operations, in a report at the authority’s April 25 meeting.
“The December 22, 2013 ice storm resulted in significant damage to Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) property throughout the watershed, but with particular severity in the northern portions. Cleanup efforts have been hampered by the amount of snow and the late snow melt. Efforts are now underway to clear overhead hazards on cottage lots and in conservation areas using a large number of contractors,” the report notes.
The provincial government has announced a program to assist municipalities and conservation authorities with cleanup costs. Bennett said authority staff are assembling documentation to support an expression of interest prior to the June 16 deadline.
“If the GRCA is eligible for the Ontario Ice Storm Assistance Program then the majority of the cleanup costs, including staff overtime, could be covered by that program,” states Bennett. Any costs related to the ice storm not covered by the program would have to be covered through savings from other budget lines or from reserves, he added.
“The heaviest storm damage occurred in the north end of the watershed and Conestogo Lake, Elora Gorge, Elora Quarry, Rockwood and Belwood Lake have been severely impacted,” the report states.
