Storm clean-up is still underway across most of Mississauga. The City has received more than 500 calls reporting damage to trees which continue to be responded to on a priority basis. Based on call volumes, storm clean-up will take several weeks.
The safety of residents and City crews remains a key priority and residents are asked to be mindful of their surroundings as damaged tree limbs can pose a safety hazard. The City is asking residents to conduct a visual check of their homes and surroundings and report any damage to city-owned trees or infrastructure to 311.
Here are a few things Mississauga residents should keep in mind as they navigate storm clean-up:
Damaged or Downed Trees
- If a tree is on city-owned property including blocking roadways, parks or trails, contact 311. Calls are triaged based on the type and location of the damage.
- If the tree resides on private property – such as a backyard, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to hire a certified arborist who can assist with removal.
- Residents who are unsure of who owns the tree on their property can visit Mississauga’s Tree Inventory map or contact 311.
Downed Power lines and Power Outages
- Report downed power lines or damaged electrical equipment including trees on wires to Alectra Utilities by calling 1-833-ALECTRA (1-833-253-2872).
- Updates on power outages can be found by visiting Alectra’s power outage map.
- Always assume all electrical equipment could be live and keep a safe distance back of at least 10 metres.
- Alectra is asking residents to contact a licensed electrician contractor if the neighbouring homes have power but yours does not as there could be damage at the connection point between your home and Alectra’s service. The Electrical Safety Authority provides a list of qualified contractors at esasafe.com.
Yard Waste Removal
All waste removal in Mississauga is handled by the Region of Peel. To ensure your storm debris and yard waste is picked up, consider the following:
- Storm debris must be separated from regular waste.
- Storm debris and yard waste should not block sidewalks or roads.
- Securely tie brush in bundles:
- up to 1.2 metre (4 ft) long and 76 cm (30 in) wide.
- brush bundles cannot weigh more than 20 kg (44 lb).
- brush and tree trimmings must be 10 cm (4 in) or less in diameter to be collected from the curb.
- Only paper leaf and yard waste brown bags will collected.
- A filled yard waste bag must weigh less than 20 kg (44 lbs) to be collected.
- Leave at least 1 metre (3 ft) of clear space between your yard waste and your waste bins.
Residents are encouraged to keep phone lines open at 311 for those who still need assistance. As storm clean-up will take multiple weeks, residents are asked to please be patient. The 311 operators are not able to provide an exact time window in which a forestry crew will arrive on-site.
Updates on storm clean-up will be shared on Twitter at @citymississauga and @saugaparksrec.