Tornado’s wreckage costs insurers $295M
September’s tornadoes caused a massive $295 million in insurance costs, making it one of the costliest storms in Ontario this year, but not quite the worst.
The damage was roughly a twoto-one split between Eastern Ontario (more than $192 million) and the Gatineau region (more than $102 million) according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, which represents the industry.
The bureau says it does not receive a breakdown from the company that adds up totals from many different insurers, so it can’t say how much is for cars, for homes and for businesses.
The tornado storm was only one of many high-damage storms in Ontario this year. The worst was on May 4, when a windstorm in southern Ontario and parts of Quebec caused $410 million in damage, with $380 million of that in Ontario. Trees and power lines fell, roofs were torn off buildings, and both of Toronto’s airports grounded flights. Two men were killed. The storm lessened in strength by the time it reached Ottawa.
On Aug. 7, a thunderstorm dropped 72 millimetres of rain on Toronto, with 51 mm falling in one hour.
The rainfall caused extensive flooding across western and central parts of the city. The cost of damage was $80 million.
There was flooding at Toronto’s city hall, in the Scotiabank Arena during a concert, in parts of Union Station and in the Rogers Centre parking garage, in addition to water seeping through the Rogers Centre roof during a baseball game. Underground parking garages flooded, cars were submerged and sewers backed up.
Mid-April’s ice storm in Southern Ontario caused $190 million in insured losses, largely in and near Toronto. The storm also brought strong winds and flooding, and 1,800 traffic collisions were blamed on the storm.
Earlier in April, another storm with high winds and heavy snow caused $85 million in damage to Southern Ontario and Southern Quebec.
In Ontario, the record for damage from a storm is still held by the 2013 Toronto floods, which caused almost $1 billion in damage.
Despite the damage done by the tornadoes, they won’t likely be chosen the top weather story on the annual list from Environment Canada. David Phillips, who compiles that list each year, said in an interview that he is leaning toward putting Western Canada’s wildfires in the No. 1 spot.