THUNDER BAY – The Ontario Government is stepping up with $4.2 million in funding to reimburse the City of Thunder Bay. Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Linda Jeffrey issued a statement this morning at the Victoria Inn on the funding announcement:

Ontario reimbursing Thunder Bay for Flood Costs

“Today, I am clearly re-affirming the commitment our government made to the City of Thunder Bay last year. Ontario is reimbursing the City of Thunder Bay for costs incurred during its flood relief response in May 2012.  

The City of Thunder Bay acted quickly to clean up basements, remove mould and ensure residents have a healthy and safe place to live, and the province will support their efforts with more than $4 million under the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program (ODRAP). 

This funding is part of the $17.2 million in provincial assistance committed to the community last year.  During the past year, the province provided funding to repair public infrastructure such as roads and bridges as part of Ontario’s support for flood recovery. 

The province will continue to work with the city and the Disaster Relief Committee to review their estimates of eligible claims for flood damage.

I commend the City of Thunder Bay for its swift action at the time of the flooding and since then to help residents.  The provincial government is pleased to help reduce the financial burden of this disaster.

This morning, my colleagues MPP Bill Mauro, Minister Michael Gravelle and I met and had a productive discussion with the Mayor of Thunder Bay Keith Hobbs and members of the Disaster Relief Committee. In addition to talking about the $4 million, we were able to clarify several of the ODRAP rules and I am glad to report that the Committee will be re-examining its eligible claims. 

I want to thank my colleagues MPP Mauro and Minister Gravelle for facilitating this meeting.  Without their assistance, we would not have been able to arrive at this solution so quickly.”

The Ontario Government came under fire in recent weeks over confusion on the fund raising in the City of Thunder Bay for disaster relief. The Disaster Relief Committee and other fund-raising efforts were telling people that for every dollar raised, the province would match it two for one.

Originally it was looking like the province was not going to fully match the funding. New Democrat leader Andrea Horwath raised the issue during Question Period in the Ontario Legislature.