Council waives demolition, building permit fees for those dealing with derecho storm damage

Demolition and building permit fees will be waived for Ottawanslooking to rebuild after the deadly May 21 derecho, following a motion passed by city council Wednesday.

A second motion that also passed will see Mayor Jim Watson write to the province and have the city designated as an area "specifically affected by a natural disaster."The move will allowresidents to apply for help to covercleanup costs.

"Unfortunately, people are learning the hard way what their insurance does and doesn't cover," saidCumberland Coun. Catherine Kitts, who moved both motions.

The councillor said she's heard quotes as high as $5,000 to remove a single tree, andthat the cost won't becovered unless the tree hit a structure.

The windstorm "touched every corner of the city," but battered some areas especially hard, Kitts said.

Farms, homes and businessessustained"absolutely devastating impacts" and will be recovering for a long time to come, according to the councillor. That's why it's "critical" to appeal to the province for help, Kittstold her colleagues.

The Disaster Recovery Assistance for Ontariansprogram can be activated after a "sudden, unexpected natural event," the province's website states. Eligible recipients could be reimbursed for cleanup costs, replacing essential property and emergency expenses such as evacuation costs.

However it doesn't replace insurance coverage and insurance payments are deducted from eligible costs, the website explains.

"I think a quick spin through one of the highly-impacted wards wouldn't leave a doubt in anyone's minds that this was a disaster," said Kitts.

No fees for building permits

Speaking to her motion to waive building code fees, she saidthey would represent an "additional hardship" for those dealing with storm damage.

Council voted to suspend demolitionfees and building permit fees, as well as fees foraccessing historic building permit records andcivic number blades posts with numbers used to identify rural properties.

The storm will continue to be a topic of discussion at council's next meeting on June 22 when Hydro Ottawa is expected to provide its annual report and several other councillors intend to bring storm-related motions.

Ahead of that meeting, Rideau-Rockcliffe Coun. RawlsonKing filed notice of a motion asking the CEO of Hydro Ottawa to provide a plan to improve communication with the community during prolonged power outages, including neighbourhood-specific information.

Italso asks for the plan to examine vulnerabilities in the local power grid andfor city staff to consider merging Hydro Ottawa crisis communications with city-run systems.

A motion from InnesCoun. LauraDudassaid religious groups and social organizations wanted to help in the aftermath of the storm, but didn't always know the best way to do so.

It asks city staff consider lessons learned during the derecho recovery effort and to provide specific guidance to help direct community resources where they're most-needed in an emergency.

Council to look at generators

Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Keith Eglialso has amotion calling for city staff to prepare a report on rules around backup generators at residential high-rises and gas stations, looking at what regulatory changes would be needed for them to be widely installed and maintained.

The city has been "scrambling" to understand the rules around generators, said Steve Willis, Ottawa's general manager of planning, real estate and economic development.

There are different rules around generators based on how old a building is, he said.

Watson also weighed in, noting thedifficulties residents had getting gas, and the people leftstranded in tallbuildings.

"We saw too many examples of seniors in particular, who were in highrises 12, 13, 14 storeys high that just could not come down to go grocery shopping, let alone go back up the stairs," said the mayor.

WATCH |Highrise residents share frustrations after storm:

Ottawa families struggle with no water, no power in highrise apartments

2 years ago

Duration 0:48

Hazaa Alnuaimi, who lives with his family of six, has been carrying water up the stairs to their tenth-floor apartment since losing power over the weekend. He said the experience has reminded him of the Lebanon refugee camp he lived in before coming to Canada.

The city is working on a climate resiliency plan, along with the NCCand officials in Gatineau, Que., according to Willis.

He said it's been made a "priority" and should be done early in the next term of council.