Province to pick up the tab for Ottawa storm cleanup
Ottawa mayor Jim Watson says Premier Doug Ford has assured him the province will pay for cleaning up the national capital after Saturday’s powerful, deadly storm.
Speaking on Newstalk 580 CFRA’s “Ottawa at Work with Leslie Roberts” on Wednesday, Watson said he spoke to Ford by phone and the premier told him Ottawa would be covered.
“As you can imagine, mayors do a good job of asking other levels of government for help, because we obviously can’t absorb all of these costs,” Watson said. “He assured me they would take care of all of our costs, which was very comforting to hear that.”
The cleanup is likely to cost tens of millions of dollars, though no official dollar figure has been shared at this point.
City officials said Tuesday that it would be another two to three days to finish restoring power to the majority of customers. Hydro Ottawa said Wednesday that crews had connected more than 125,000 customers, with 55,000 left to restore as of 1 p.m. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, more than 180,000 customers in Ottawa lost power—about half of Hydro Ottawa’s customer base.
Parts of Ottawa are serviced by Hydro One, which also suffered significant damage. Watson said he spoke to Ford about the need for Hydro One crews and was assured that the city of Ottawa—urban, suburban, and rural—would be supported.
“I asked him for the city of Ottawa. They’re all part of the city of Ottawa, so things like the overtime costs for us to move brush, and our forestry department and so on, he was very definitive that the province will pay all the costs, so I’m appreciative of that commitment,” the mayor said.
Ford previously told Watson that restoring power was the “number one issue” following the storm
"We're giving it everything we have; we have all the resources out there working as hard as possible," Ford told Newstalk 580 CFRA’s “The Morning Rush with Bill Carroll” on Monday.
The derecho storm came with winds of up to 190 km/h in parts of the region, according to analysis by the Northern Tornadoes Project, and toppled trees, hydro poles, and even metal hydro towers, leaving tens of thousands without power, some of whom are approaching a fifth night in the dark.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, Ontario police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
Taylor Swift's new album allegedly 'leaked' on social media and it's causing a frenzy
A Google Drive link allegedly containing 17 tracks that are purportedly from Swift's eagerly awaited "The Tortured Poets Department" album has been making the rounds on the internet in the past day and people are equal parts mad, sad and happy about it.
Calgary man charged with manslaughter in death of toddler
Calgary police say Winston Campbell, 45, has been charged in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2022.
Allman Brothers Band co-founder and legendary guitarist Dickey Betts dies at 80
Guitar legend Dickey Betts, who co-founded the Allman Brothers Band and wrote their biggest hit, 'Ramblin' Man,' has died. He was 80.