City to decide whether to ask province, feds for storm aid

Toronto city council will continue a debate Monday on whether to lobby the provincial and federal governments for tens of millions of dollars to help pay for 2013’s costly storms, including December’s crippling ice storm.

Council debated the issue through the day, but recessed for the weekend around 3:30 p.m.

In a report to council, city manager Joe Pennachetti said the city incurred more than $171 million in costs in the ice storm and a July 8 rain storm, and he is encouraging council to ask Queen’s Park and Ottawa to provide financial aid to the city and Toronto Hydro.

Pennachetti said Toronto is unable to cover the $171 million on its own and he suggests the city approach the provincial and federal governments with a proposal to split it three ways.

That way, each level of government would pay $57 million apiece, he said.

The city is pegging its ice storm costs at $106 million. Toronto Hydro's costs are almost $13 million.

Pennachetti is urging council to ask the province to declare Toronto a “natural disaster area” so it can qualify for funding under the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program.

In an interview with CP24, Mayor Rob Ford seemed perplexed that the province is waiting for a request before providing the cash.

“During the storm, with all fairness to the province, they did help us out, obviously, with staff and workers but when you’re in a $106 million hole that’s something you just can’t take out of the budget," Ford told CP24 commentator Stephen LeDrew. “I know if I was in that position and I saw the biggest city in the province in this dire strait you wouldn’t have to have a special council meeting to go through all the hoops. I'd say, 'Here, what's fair?'"

Ford said he wants the province to provide $60 million in aid.

Pennachetti believes the total storm costs for GTA municipalities will be more than $250 million. GTA mayors are scheduled to meet next Friday to discuss the ongoing cleanup and financial aid.

The city opened its emergency operations centre the day before the unprecedented ice storm struck Dec. 22 but Ford did not declare a state of emergency in its aftermath. At Friday's meeting, Pennachetti said the city is not required to declare a state of emergency to receive provincial assistance.

Had Ford declared an emergency, it would have been overseen by Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly, who assumed several key powers that council voted to take away from the mayor amid his crack cocaine scandal.

Ford defended his decision not to declare an emergency, even though some people encouraged him to do so.

"Everything was rush, rush, rush. I said, 'No, let’s see how things play out," and things played out … things went smoothly. We did a fantastic job," Ford told CP24.

After July's rain storm, the city submitted a request for financial aid but it was denied by the province. Pennachetti is encouraging council to ask again.

At the height of the ice storm, more than 300,000 hydro customers, including hospitals and water pumping stations, were without power and live wires and trees or branches were on the ground in neighbourhoods across the city.

Toronto's emergency operations centre at 703 Don Mills Rd. was without power for about 36 hours, forcing officials to oversee the situation from a temporary location at Metro Hall.

Thousands of residents were without electricity or heat for more than a week, warming centres were opened and key services, including the TTC, were disrupted or placed under tremendous stress as the city was coated in a layer of ice. Toronto's tree canopy sustained severe damage that will cost millions to fix.

Hydro and forestry workers were brought in from across Ontario, Manitoba and Michigan to help Toronto crews to restore power and clear debris.

Power was fully restored New Year’s Day but it will take several more weeks to clear downed trees or branches and repair damage to public and private property.

Pennachetti said legislation surrounding disaster assistance is restrictive and needs to be updated. He is asking council to work with Queen’s Park and Ottawa to develop new disaster relief programs.

The debate will continue at council on Monday.

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