The insured damage caused by a series of EF2 tornadoes on July 15, one of which devastated a southeast Barrie neighbourhood, is about $75 million, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC).
Initial estimates of the damage caused in Barrie, Innisfil, Kawartha Lakes, Little Britain, Manilla, Lindsay, and Lake of Bays come from Catastrophe Indices and Quantification (CatIQ).
In total, 2,200 insurance claims have been made for damage to personal and commercial property.
The $75-million estimate clearly places the July 15 thunderstorms, which resulted in the tornadoes, in the catastrophic category — defined as an event that causes more than $25 million in insured losses.
In Barrie, 11 people were taken to the hospital with injuries — two of them were admitted, but were released that weekend.
Two other people required stitches after they were injured when another tornado hit their camp site at Algonquin Park in northern Ontario.
Researchers with Western University’s Northern Tornadoes Project determined six tornadoes struck the area between Barrie and Algonquin Park, but are investigating the possibility that the thunderstorms that hit Ontario that day may have produced more tornadoes.
The damage was most significant in Barrie, where officials issued 70 unsafe orders for local homes, meaning those houses couldn’t be accessed. As of last week, residents of 41 of those homes have been allowed to go in.
So far, city officials say they have received 55 engineering reports, which assess the damage for each home, and they’re still waiting for another 15 to determine whether or not the homes are safe to enter.
The IBC points out in a news release, issued on Wednesday, that damage caused by wind is typically covered by home, commercial property and comprehensive auto insurance policies.
In the days following the tornado, IBC had its community assistance mobile pavilion available for area residents. Those who have been impacted can access further help or information about their home, auto or business insurance through its consumer information centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC.
The IBC points out that the tornadoes are a reminder of the risks communities across the country face, which it says are increasing.
“IBC continues to advocate to governments at all levels on the urgent need to do more to prioritize investments that build our resilience and better protect our families and communities from a changing climate,” the IBC indicated in the statement.
The bureau encourages the development of a comprehensive plan to close governance gaps and improve climate defence overall and it seeks enhancements to the current building code to protect against severe wind events.
