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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, January 22, 2014 | 4 Mayor joins GTA counterparts in request for assistance Oakville Mayor Rob Burton joined 22 other GTA leaders in Mississauga Friday to call on the provincial and federal governments to help recoup costs in the wake of the ice storm late December 2013. "I am confident the provincial and federal governments will act in the best interest of the GTA municipalities," Burton said in an email following the meeting. Oakville's mayor and other GTA leaders appealed to Ontario's Minister of Municipal Affairs Linda Jefferies to assist municipalities in paying for more than a quarter of a billion dollars of expenses incurred as a result of December's ice storm. Burton said he told the minister for 10 years, the provincial government has been successfully operating on a theme of creating strong communities in Ontario and asked if it would "stay consistent with this theme and work to restore us to our pre-storm financial status?" Jefferies confirmed in the coming weeks the Province will work to provide clarity based on damage assessments submitted by the municipalities. The minister indicated the Province intends to fast-track these decisions, according to Burton. The GTA leaders passed a resolution call- Burton `confident' of help with ice storm price tag ing on the provincial and federal government to equally contribute one-third of the full cost of the response and ongoing recovery from the ice storm. A March 1 deadline for a response was requested. A separate resolution sought expansion of existing government programs or creation of new programs to address future impacts of climate change. These programs would include funding for the rehabilitation of municipal infrastructure affected by the ice storm. At a special meeting earlier this month, Oakville Town council voted to request the minister declare Oakville a disaster area so the town will be eligible for help from the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP). Oakville Mayor Rob Burton is hopeful the program will allow the Province to absorb some of Oakville's damage and clean-up costs from the storm, which are now estimated to range from $3 million to $3.5 million. "This ice storm was the most significant storm experienced by the town in the last 35 years," said Burton. "It caused real and substantial damage to the property of many of our residents and the Town with corresponding significant and power lines across Oakville, depriving 45,000 of Oakville Hydro's 65,000 customers of power at some point during the storm. Oakville Hydro President and CEO Rob Lister said $450,000 was spent restoring power to the town. He believes that could climb another $100,000 as Oakville Hydro assists with tree clean up. The Oakville Roads and Works Operations Department monitored road conditions around the clock and cleared 1,900 lane kilometres of roads and 900 kilometres of sidewalks as a result of the storm. Approximately 2,300 tons of salt was used to ensure public safety, which Town staff pointed out was five times the normal amount used during a storm. The Town's Director of Roads and Works Operations Enrico Scalera has estimated his department spent $300,000 during the ice storm and noted the remaining brush collection is expected to cost an additional $100,000. Town director of Parks and Open Space Chris Mark said the full cost of the ice damage would not be known until all parkland, trails and woodlots have been inspected. Forestry work to date is estimated to have cost $325,000. Local parks and trails remain closed. -- with files from David Lea Oakville Mayor Rob Burton was among those to join Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga Friday morning to discuss a joint approach to seeking ice storm relief funding from the Province. | Oakville Beaver file photo negative financial consequences for all parties." The ice storm brought down tree branches JAN 31ST GLEN EDEN SKI & SNOWBO ARD EVENT BENEFIT TING THE OAKVILL E HOSPITA L FOUNDAT ION @ 2014 INCLUD ES D TO SLO AY & NIGHT A PES CC RACES, , LUNCH, GAM ESS AND MU E CH MOR S, E!! FRIDAY TO PURCHASE TICKETS VISIT WWW.OAKVILLEWINTERFEST.COM SPONSORED BY: M I LTO N O N TA R I O