County finally nearing completion of record ice storm debris collection months later

Central Ontario ice storm on March 31, 2025.

Months after Mother Nature unleashed a spring ice storm that coated the region in a thick layer of ice, downed power lines, snapped branches from trees and caused widespread property damage, the County of Simcoe says its finally nearing the end of record brush collection.

The ice storm began with freezing rain on March 30 and quickly turned into a region blanketed in an icy glaze, the weight of which turned into weeks and months of cleanup efforts, with the County turning out some incredible numbers - including over 20,000 tonnes of brush material collected, compared to 4,400 in an average year.

"Over the past three months, the intake is more than four times the typical annual amount," the County reports.

More than two dozen different crews were called on to support the cleanup efforts right across the County and residents were given the thumbs up to drop brush at waste facilities free of charge.

The County says it received over 1,200 service calls from all corners as residents requested brush pick-ups.

Residents are able to drop off storm-related debris at waste facilities for free until the end of June, regular fees will apply starting in July.