Chatham-Kent granted $11 million toward further Wheatley explosion recovery

From left to right: Chatham-Kent Coun. Aaron Hall, Trevor Jones, MPP Chatham-Kent-Leamington, Graydon Smith, Minister or Natural Resources and Forestry in Wheatley, Ont. on Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023. (Rich Garton/CTV News Windsor)

The province announced Wednesday it will be providing Chatham-Kent with an additional $11 million to assist with recovery expenses related to the sudden explosion in Wheatley's downtown August 2021.

The new funding builds on the more than $27 million already invested by the Ontario government to support investigation, emergency management, recovery and monitoring in Wheatley as well as support for eligible local businesses and residents.

“The explosion that occurred in Wheatley almost two years ago to the day was an unprecedented event,” Graydon Smith, minister of natural resources and forestry, said in a news release. “More support is needed to alleviate the financial burden Chatham-Kent continues to face. That’s why we are providing additional funding to the municipality as they continue to recover and rebuild the community of Wheatley.”

The $11 million funding includes:

• $8 million for direct emergency expenses, such as gas monitoring, security and ongoing external investigations
• $3 million to support Chatham-Kent’s ongoing risk management and investigation efforts to add more safety infrastructure to the explosion site
• $225,000 to help Chatham-Kent fund a committee of residents and businesses tasked with supporting community redevelopment

“The community of Wheatley continues to show amazing tenacity and patience as we navigate the path to regrowth together,” said Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff. “This funding will ensure the future of Wheatley is both brighter and safer. Chatham-Kent would like to thank the dedicated and collaborative efforts of the provincial government, which has provided support to the people of Wheatley throughout this challenging process.”