MPP Arnott calls provincial tornado funding “totally and completely insufficient,” calls upon Minister to meet with local officials

Declaring dissatisfaction with the amount of support that the Provincial Government has offered to the Townships of Centre Wellington and Mapleton for the devastation caused by the tornados in late August, Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott again raised the issue in the Ontario Legislature on November 21st.

In his remarks, Mr. Arnott called upon Minister of Municipal Affairs John Gerretsen to meet with officials from the two affected Townships as well as officials from the County of Wellington, and the Grand River Conservation Authority.

After extending some due appreciation to the Ministers of Community Safety and Municipal Affairs for touring the tornado stricken areas, he commented on Premier Dalton McGuinty’s involvement and the inadequate funding offered to date.

“I have expressed our appreciation to the Premier for his assurance of the Government’s support in a telephone conversation we had on September 9th, I must now inform the House that the Government’s initial response of $335,100 in disaster assistance is completely and totally insufficient,” Mr. Arnott said.

Mr. Arnott then quoted from a letter from Township of Mapleton Mayor John Green to the Minister of Municipal Affairs. In it Mayor Green said the following: “While we appreciate the initial assistance of $152,600, we are somewhat disappointed that this amount falls far short of the overall uninsured damages to public infrastructure, including costs incurred by the County of Wellington and the Grand River Conservation Authority.”

Mr. Arnott continued by cautioning the Government.

“I know that the Government does not want to appear to be callously indifferent in response to a natural disaster occurring within the Province, and I had confidence in the Premier’s statements to me, and Mayors John Green and Russ Spicer,” he told the Government. “I hope that my confidence was not misplaced.”

“Therefore, I call upon the Minister of Municipal Affairs to invite representatives from the affected Townships, the County of Wellington and the GRCA to meet with him, and at that meeting announce an increase in the Special Assistance Grant,” Mr. Arnott concluded.