Simcoe County nearing end of record brush collection after ice storm

A brutal ice storm froze over Simcoe County in late March, which led to an extraordinary amount of damage to trees and property, as well as the long power outages in many areas.

It caught many by surprise, despite the warnings from Environment Canada in the days leading up to it, and led to many being isolated in their homes for days on end.

However, the County of Simcoe's crews have made a lot of progress managing, collecting, and cleaning up ice storm-related debris from the area.

Here’s a summary of the efforts and progress made in Simcoe County:

BRUSH TOTALS

More than 24 different crews were deployed to support cleanup across the county over the past three months and collected more than four times the annual amount of brush tonnage.

Crews collected over 20,000 tonnes in the past three months compared to the annual average of about 4,400 tonnes.

RESPONSE MEASURES

Multiple strategies were implemented by the county’s Solid Waste Management Department in the storm's aftermath.

The first was for the count to accept all storm-related brush at its waste facilities free of charge, as well as extending operating hours and creating temporary drop-off sites in areas hit hardest by the ice storm.

Next, rules were relaxed regarding curbside collection., which allowed residents to leave their brush of all sizes at the curb and unbundled.

Then, in May, Simcoe County launched a request system, in which residents could submit requests for brush pick-up through an online portal, by phone, or by email. This resulted in over 1,200 service requests.

TIMING AND NEXT STEPS

Chipper crews have completed their pickup service, but residents of Simcoe County can still drop off storm-related brush at county waste facilities until the end of the month. After June, regular fees will come back for residential drop-off.

Simcoe County's regular leaf and yard waste collection will resume the week of July 6.