The emergency response and investigation in downtown Wheatley has cost the Municipality of Chatham-Kent over $17 million.
A report going to council Monday night outlines the expenses incurred from 2021 to August 31, 2022.
Since the beginning of the situation, the municipality has worked alongside the province to identify and address the source of the gas leak as well as to support the community.
According to the report, as of August 31, the municipality has incurred $17.6 million, approximately $5,572,840 in 2021 and $12,097,592 in 2022, of total gross expenses related to the emergency.
The biggest expense items are contracts, wages, and security. Contracts have cost the municipality approximately $6.5 million, wages have cost $3.2 million, and the security bill is nearly $2.5 million.
The province has provided the municipality with $5.9 million to date to help offset the direct costs related to the Wheatley emergency.
"As the Municipality continues to work with the Province to stabilize the situation in Wheatley, it is expected the Municipality will incur additional expenses through the remainder of 2022," read the report. "As the work in Wheatley is transitioning from the provincially-led investigation and mitigation phase into a monitoring and recovery phase, it is important that there be continuity of certain services."
Some of those services include air monitoring, construction, fencing, engineering, and community safety advice.
The 2021, net unfunded costs of $2.29 million were absorbed through the 2021 operating variance. In 2021, Chatham-Kent reported an operating surplus of just $290,216.
"Administration is recommending that the 2022 projected net unfunded costs of $5.28 million be brought forward to year end and if no other upper level funding is received, be considered in the overall 2022 operating variance, with any shortfall funded from the Bridge Lifecycle Reserve," read the report.
