Cost to clean up Orillia could exceed $1 million in first week

Financial details surrounding recovery efforts in Orillia following last week’s ice storm have become clearer, City council heard that estimates within the firs

Financial details surrounding recovery efforts in Orillia following last week’s ice storm have become clearer.

On Monday, city council heard that estimates within the first week alone, ranged between costing the city $750,000 and $1 million.

“Costs, in the initial few days were related to stabilizing the wastewater treatment system, so vac trucks, generators related to the power outage,” said Roger Young, Orillia’s Environment and Infrastructure Services General Manager. “The days that followed, we moved more into tree clearing and those types of contracts as well too. As well, we had our relief centre, which came with some costs too.”

According to statistics provided by the County of Simcoe, 1,550 relied on the services of Orillia’s warming centre at peak usage during the day, while it averaged 72 people overnight.

Many of those who helped to run the centre, were performing duties well outside their regular roles.

“Everybody jumped into motion,” said Orillia’s fire chief, Chris Ferry. “From the frontline staff, not only the fire department, but park staff, recreation staff, they’ve all gone above and beyond. We had recreation staff running an evacuation centre that we’ve never had before.”

Ferry said this was only the second time Orillia has ever declared an emergency, with the first coming during the pandemic.

This week, city crews are winding down some of duties they performed and reduce the usage of generators across the city.

City staff estimates that costs to the city will only continue to rise however, as Orillia transitions to the removal and disposal of trees.

However, Orillia is eligible for assistance from the province through its Municipal Disaster Recovery Assistance program, which could aid in recouping some of the costs.