Town council isn’t prepared at this point to sign on as a host community in emergency evacuation situations.
Council decided at its meeting on April 17 not to sign up after receiving a request to consider being a host community from Wellington County Community Emergency Management Coordinator Linda Dickson.
In her report, Dickson stated Emergency Management Ontario (EMO) had submitted a request to Ontario municipalities to consider being host communities in the event of flooding or summer fires in northern Ontario communities.
A similar situation arose last summer when Wellington North received evacuees from Sandy Lake when that community was threatened by forest fires. In all about 200 evacuees were housed for a week at the community centre and curling club in Arthur.
“Municipalities who agree to accept evacuees are referred to as host communities,” Dickson said in her report. “They are responsible for preparing appropriate accommodations and ensuring the basic needs of the evacuees on a temporary basis.”
Town Chief Administrative Officer Bill White said in a report that Wellington North officials have stated their experience with evacuees was “positive.”
According to White the cost to have evacuees in Arthur totalled about $407,000, which was covered by federal funds dispersed by EMO. Almost half the costs in the Sandy Lake experience covered expenses related to county involvement. Minto staff were also involved in some activities related to Wellington North hosting the evacuees.
“While town costs would be covered and county support is available, there would be a significant draw on resources away from regular duties,” White said in his report.
“Town staff could rise to this challenge, as would the entire community, should the need arise to host evacuees. However, it is important that EMO makes sure that there are willing hosts across the province so that no one community is disproportionately allocated host community responsibilities.”
White noted Minto “is in a position that it could up front costs in the range of $500,000 should it be required to act as a host community, provided re-imbursement is received from senior levels of government.”
The town also has three community centres to house evacuees.
White said Wellington North has indicated its interest in hosting evacuees if a similar situation arises again.
Councillor David Turton said he would prefer Minto’s role to be one of a support community to any host community in Wellington County.
“We are a giving community,” he noted, adding Minto could support 50 evacuees.
Mayor George Bridge agreed Minto could offer support.
“We were willing to help Wellington North last time and we would certainly do that again, but not host ourselves,” the mayor said.
