Pricey ice storm cleanup ongoing in Simcoe County

Crews continue ice storm cleanup in Barrie, Ont., on Thurs., May 29, 2025. (CTV News/Rob Cooper)

Tree companies continue to work at a feverish pace to get the cleanup job down after the March ice storm that crippled the county.

“We’re just driving around removing trees that are storm damaged... We’ve been very busy. It’s been a busy two months,” said George Paddock with Kodiak Tree Services.

While crews continue to take down trees in Barrie, now at 4,500 and counting, homeowners are encouraged to do one last check of their yards for brush and other storm-related debris before the city carries out it’s final pickup.

“Drag everything out to the curb and we hope to have the contractors do a one or two week run throughout the city and do their final clean ups,” said Dave Friary with the City of Barrie.

And the cleanup hasn’t been cheap.

Now estimated at over $12 million in Barrie alone. The final pricetag is expected next week. Many city trails still need to be cleaned and people are asked to stay off the ones that are closed until further notice.

“If you have a hanger up in the tree and it falls on somebody - that’s the last thing we want,” said Friary.

In Orillia, the cost for storm cleanup is pegged at about $7.5 million, with the majority of the job now completed. After help from government, the mayor said the city would be looking at a bill of about $1 million.

“There are some places where arborists can’t get to because of the volume but most of the trees have already been cut down and put to the curb,” explained Mayor Don McIsaac.

The city’s last debris collection for property owners should be done by the end of the week.

Residents of Orillia and Barrie still have the opportunity to drop-off brush at the landfill free of charge until Saturday.