Ontario Supporting 2025 Ice Storm Recovery in The Blue Mountains

NEWS: March 18, 2026 -  For Immediate Release

The Blue Mountains, ON: Today, Brian Saunderson, Member of Provincial Parliament for the riding of Simcoe-Grey announced that to protect Ontario and keep communities safe, the government is providing up to $48,000 for ice storm assistance in the Town of the Blue Mountains. The funding is part of Ontario’s $90 million Municipal Ice Storm Assistance program, and will help cover clean-up and emergency response costs due to a severe winter weather event on March 28, 2025.

“Communities across the region were significantly impacted by the ice storm in March 2025,” said Brian Saunderson, MPP for Simcoe-Grey. “This important provincial funding will help address the substantial costs associated with the storm response and the extensive clean-up that followed. I want to thank municipal staff, along with hydro crews, first responders, and volunteers, whose dedication helped The Blue Mountains through a very challenging time.”

The March 28, 2025 storm resulted in widespread damage, leaving nearly 400,000 homes and businesses without power across central and eastern Ontario. In parts of the Town of The Blue Mountains, the storm caused extensive tree damage, downed hydro lines and prolonged power outages.

“Our government will always protect Ontario, especially in times of need,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “The relief being announced today will safeguard local jobs and help the Town of the Blue Mountains rebuild – stronger than ever.”

In June 2025, the Ontario government launched the Municipal Ice Storm Assistance program and Business Ice Storm Assistance program to help communities impacted by the storm.

QUICK FACTS:

• The province’s Business Ice Storm Assistance program is providing up to $5 million for small businesses, small farms and not-for-profit organizations to assist with storm-related clean-up and essential repairs not covered by insurance.

QUOTES:

“We are grateful to the Province of Ontario for this support through the Municipal Ice Storm Assistance Program. This funding will help offset the costs our community faced in responding to and recovering from the 2025 ice storm. On behalf of Council, our residents and our businesses, I want to thank MPP Saunderson and the Province for their commitment to supporting communities like The Blue Mountains in times of need, and I want to thank all of our staff and first responders who went above and beyond in responding to this storm last March.”

- Andrea Matrosovs, Mayor, Town of the Blue Mountains