Oro Medonte asks Ontario government to declare natural disaster, 2 weeks after ice storm

Rochelle Raveendran · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 14, 2025 9:34 AM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

Eight years ago, Luke Sedgwick began a luxury camping eco-retreat connected his household workplace successful Oro Medonte, Ont., aft the farm had been struggling financially. 

Now, 2 weeks aft an crystal tempest hit the province, helium estimates the outgo to rebuild volition beryllium astir $300,000. The tempest tore done 10 of the 14 accommodations astatine Glen Oro Farm, conscionable implicit 100 kilometres northbound of Toronto, with falling trees snapping structure supports and shredding canvas structures.

What utilized to beryllium a wood connected the spot has go an unfastened field, Sedgwick says, astir similar a wasteland. 

"My gramps planted these trees," helium said. "To spot them travel down successful my ain beingness is ace sad." 

Sedgwick is joining the politician of Oro Medonte successful calling connected the state to state a earthy catastrophe successful the township. If Ontario makes this declaration, the township and section businesses volition beryllium capable to use for national and provincial alleviation funds arsenic they proceed cleanup efforts. 

CBC News has reached retired to provincial officials to inquire astir that possibility, and volition update this communicative with their response.

It's improbable security volition screen immoderate costs arsenic Glen Oro Farm rebuilds, arsenic it doesn't cover damages related to crystal and hail, Sedgwick said. 

The workplace has acceptable up a GoFundMe and received $60,000 successful donations. But Sedgwick is hopeful he'll person the accidental to use for national alleviation funds if the state declares a earthy catastrophe successful the municipality. 

"Having the entree to that is the quality betwixt businesses similar ours going bankrupt and being capable to support currency travel portion we're closed," helium said. 

"If this doesn't classify arsenic a earthy disaster, I'm not definite precisely what would." 

Mayor to nonstop missive to premier, curate of housing

Mayor Randy Greenlaw says the crystal tempest has been devastating and horrific for businesses successful the township, including Glen Oro Farm. 

"It's hard to spot someone's imagination get torn up by quality successful that manner," helium said. 

The township has had aggregate conversations with MPPs Jill Dunlop and Doug Downey, who correspond the region, arsenic it continues the cleanup — including done the hiring of backstage contractors. 

But the determination to state a earthy catastrophe remains successful the hands of Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack, Greenlaw said. 

Oro Medonte has already spent $750,000 connected cleaning up since the crystal storm, which is 3 per cent of its taxation levy, and determination is "much much enactment to beryllium done going forward," helium said. 

Without further funds from the state to offset costs, Greenlaw said the township whitethorn person to set its taxation levy, which could mean spot taxes volition summation successful 2026. 

Greenlaw said helium volition nonstop a missive to Premier Doug Ford and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing Rob Flack connected Monday, requesting earthy catastrophe alleviation for the township and its residents. 

Oro Medonte remains nether a authorities of exigency owed to the fig of downed trees and debris that are yet to beryllium cleaned, helium said.