YEAR AFTER MASSIVE MARCH 28 ICE STORM, PROVINCE PROVIDES 5 MUSKOKA MUNICIPALITIES WITH $2.6M IN ELIGIBLE MISA STORM ASSISTANCE RELIEF

Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

PORT CARLING — The first day of spring today brought a threat of freezing rain.

But that’s nothing like 51 weeks ago when Muskoka got walloped with an ice storm it hadn’t seen in many years causing severe damage to homes and businesses.

It left municipalities to clean up a mess that lasted days and weeks.

And cost them almost $3 million.

Yesterday in Port Carling MPP Graydon Smith announced the province had anted up $2,639,000 in eligible funding for ice storm assistance in five municipalities across south Muskoka.

Just less than a year ago this was the picture in Gravenhurst as an ice storm tore through this and four other Muskoka towns and townships knocking down trees and damaging cars while leaving thousands without power for days and weeks. FILE PHOTOS Mark Clairmont MuskokaTODAY.com

He said it’s 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.

“By providing this funding, the communities hit hardest by last year’s ice storm will be able to have the majority of emergency response and clean up costs covered without having to rely on ratepayers,” he said in a release.

The storm resulted in widespread damage, leaving nearly 400,000 homes and businesses without power across central and eastern Ontario.

And caused extensive tree damage and downed hydro lines that led to prolonged power outages across Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and the townships of Georgian Bay, Muskoka Lakes and much of the District of Muskoka.

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.

The announcement follows one two weeks ago in which the province also provided $780,000 to Gravenhurst for the impact from the devastating 2024 late November and early December snow storm.

The following municipalities received funding Thursday:

The $2.639 million goes to the district, two towns and two townships five municipalities.
Hydro workers were busy clearing roads across south Muskoka making way for other emergency workers and vehicles desperately looking for fuel on the back roads between Bracebridge and Gravenhurst.

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