THUNDER BAY -- Coun. Joe Virdiramo says city officials intend to ask the province to repay million of dollars it paid out last year through the Safe Homes program.
In response to the May 28 flood and sewage back-up disaster that hit Thunder Bay, the city paid out approximately $4.5 million to homeowners to help them clear out basements and repair hot water tanks and furnaces devastated by the deluge.
Virdiramo, chairman of the city’s intergovernmental liaison committee, said he plans to make the proposed repayment request among his top priorities when Thunder Bay’s delegation arrives and the joint Ontario Good Roads Association and Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference kicks off Sunday in Toronto.
“We took that out of our coffers, so certainly (repayment) would be used for other projects we have in the city,” Virdiramo said on Wednesday.
“We spent $4.2 million, $4.5 million on the Safe Homes program, which wasn’t part and parcel of the disaster relief. We felt as a city it was a health issue with all the sewage in the basements of people’s homes. We felt we had to clean that up for health reasons and we’re going to mention that to the minister, saying even though this isn’t part and parcel of the disaster relief, this is something we’d like you to consider.”
It’s by no means the only issue municipal officials want put in front of ministers at the conference.
Virdiramo said health care, particularly for seniors, and infrastructure needs, most notably the expansion of Golf Links Road, are two that need addressing at the provincial level.
Virdiramo will be joined in Toronto by Mayor Keith Hobbs and fellow councillors Aldo Ruberto, Brian McKinnon and Ken Boshcoff, plus city manager Tim Commisso and CEDC mining expert John Mason.
Ruberto agreed it’s a large delegation, but one that pays off the money spent.
“Once we’re down there we get to have a face-to-face with the ministers and actually speak to them directly, as opposed to going through the policy makers. When they see us there, the impact is a lot stronger because we tell them, ‘This is what we need, this is what we like, and we need your support,’” Ruberto said.
“And quite frankly we’ve been very, very successful in the past and we’ve seen a lot of initiatives, based on lobbying at that level.”
Ruberto said an issue he wants to bring forth is the halted conversion of the Thunder Bay Power Generating Station from coal to natural gas, a process former energy minister Chris Bentley instigated late last year.
Although the Energy Task Force committee already has meetings planned with new Energy Minister Bob Chiarelli, Ruberto said it can’t hurt to spread the word that the city wants the conversion back on the table.
He added the newness of some ministers to their portfolio could help Thunder Bay’s cause.
“They want to help, they want to do what’s best for the province. Also, they have to do a good job and get people on side, because they’re a minority government. So they need all the help they can get,” said Ruberto, adding the city is repaid 100-fold or more each time they attend the OGRA conference in money that comes back to the community.
