Residents in Wheatley displaced by the explosion in August are getting more financial support from the Province of Ontario.
Minister of Natural Resources Greg Rickford stopped at Chatham-Kent Fire Station 20 in Wheatley on Wednesday to announce an additional $3.8 million to help affected residents recover from the event nearly three months ago. Minister Rickford said the funding will help residents in the evacuation zone with immediate needs such as housing and food, and will ensure the municipality can continue to deliver emergency services.
The minister said the funding will begin to flow later this month and municipal applications will be sent out soon to evacuees with a deadline of January 31, 2022.
The new provincial funding is on top of the $2 million announced in September to help businesses.
Chatham-Kent Chief Administrative Officer Don Shropshire said the support will go out as quickly as possible and will be graduated according to size of the family.
"There's a base funding amount for all families (up to $3,000 per household) and there's an additional $1,500 per person within the family," said Shropshire, adding that receipts for household items will not be required.
Shropshire said there's also monthly funding available for emergency shelter and accommodations. Residents who were evacuated and who have relocated to permanent housing may also receive up to $8,000 for one-time housing costs, and up to $4,000 for additional relocation expenses. Displaced residents in temporary accommodations may receive up to $4,000 per month for rent from September 2021 through to March 2022. Receipts for housing, rent, and moving will be required.
Households applying for additional housing costs will be required to submit pre-evacuation monthly housing costs, housing costs during the evacuation period, and if they have an insurance policy, proof of insurance will be required. Employment and Social Services case managers will begin working with displaced families to complete the application process.
He added some of the money is in a pool to help business owners get back to work and clean up their businesses if needed. Rickford said more provincial funding may come if it's required.
Rickford added the province took all appropriate steps to help Wheatley as quickly as possible.
Shropshire said the source of the multiple gas leaks at 15 Erie Street North has not been found yet and the investigation into what caused the explosion continues. He noted there is no timeline for the residents to permanently return to their homes yet. He said gas wells found near the blast zone may have to be capped or vented and the engineering work continues.
Life long Wheatley resident and property owner Terry Lobzun said the funding will help with Christmas just around the corner and feels Wheatley will eventually return to normal.
"Money will help in a way but the one thing you can't throw money at is the spirit that's gone. We've lost our post office, our bank, our legion, our restaurants, our bars. It's like a big hole. That four corners is very important to us," he said. "There's Christmas traditions that are going to be changed and you can't put a price on that."
Lobzun showed up at the news conference hoping to hear more about the timeline and added the money is better than nothing. He's also looking forward to seeing some physical and technical evidence of what happened.
The Ontario government will also continue to work closely with the municipality to provide technical support and guidance for the investigation into the source of the gas leak and to identify mitigation options, according to Rickford.
“Wheatley is a strong, close community that has displayed remarkable resilience during an incredibly challenging time,” said Rickford. “Residents are rallying together to support each other, but the ongoing state of emergency is creating financial hardships for many people. That’s why we are providing $3.8 million in additional funding to help the municipality and residents get through this difficult time.”
The downtown core in Wheatley was evacuated just before a blast on August 26, 2021. The explosion displaced dozens of people, injured 20 residents, and destroyed several buildings in the area.
Some residents are being allowed back into their properties this week to retrieve their belongings and winterize their homes and buildings if it's safe.
Wheatley strong sign at CK Fire Hall 20. (Photo by Paul Pedro)
