Tweed’s Emergency Management Group met Tuesday morning to discuss how to use the relief funding it will receive from the province to continue the cleanup from last year’s tornado.
On Monday, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry awarded the municipality $1.2 million for cleanup to prevent flooding and fire on non–Crown land, shoreline cleanup on Crown land as well as supporting forest regeneration efforts on non–Crown lands due to the derecho on May 21, 2022 and the EF–2 tornado on July 24, 2022.
In its meeting Tuesday, the Emergency Management Group identified the following priorities to reduce the risks of
this region due specifically to the tornado:
• Removing debris from rivers, reducing flooding risks;
• Removing debris from the 30–metre radius surrounding homes and structures, reducing
fire risks which is in accordance with Ontario Fire Smart Program;
• Removing debris from roadside ditches; and
• Reforestation and planting along the 15–metre riverbank setbacks, reducing erosion
concerns.
Officials say at this time, no funding has been received to cover costs already incurred by property owners and
the municipality.
More details regarding the priorities as well as an open–house meeting on the Ontario Fire Smart Program will be announced in the next coming weeks.
The municipality and the Emergency Management Group will maintain communication through news releases,
Municipal website and social media channels.
There will also be mailings for those directly impacted, including one that will include an agreement for participating property owners to sign granting permission for the municipality’s hired contractors to access private properties where permitted and required.
The municipality reports it is also in the process of creating a “Tornado Bin” on its website which will contain all information and correspondence related to the EF–2 July 24, 2022 tornado.
In addition, the municipality has entered into an expanded five–year agreement with the MNRF for forest fire coverage.
This agreement expansion covers the standard fire season (April to October) with aerial fire suppressant planes also known as water bombers for private properties in the affected region.
The local Municipal Fire Department will continue to provide fire coverage within 100 feet of the centre line of the road.
