The Municipal District of Bonnyville has approved additional funding to continue clearing thousands of downed trees left behind by January’s windstorm, with council increasing the cleanup budget by another 0,000.

The decision came during council’s May 26 meeting after administration reported that the original budget approved earlier this year is nearly exhausted and significant work remains.

The cleanup effort began following a powerful January storm that caused widespread tree damage throughout the municipality, particularly along roadsides and in ditches.

Manager of Agricultural Services Janice Boden told council the scale of the project has been larger and more time-consuming than originally anticipated.

“We’re about 40 percent of the way done from the entire M.D., both sides of the road,” Boden said.

More work than expected

Council heard that four contractors have been working on the cleanup since mid-May, tackling different areas of the municipality.

While the original budget allocation was expected to cover a substantial portion of the work, crews have encountered additional challenges that have slowed progress.

Throughout the winter, road maintenance operations pushed snow, gravel and debris over many of the fallen trees, making them more difficult to remove.

“Every time we graded the roads, the snow and dirt and debris were going on top of the logs,” Boden explained. “We’re having to go sharpen the saws a lot and it’s a little bit slower than when there’s gravel and sand all on top of these trees that we’re trying to cut up.”

By the time council reviewed the update, approximately $135,000 of the original $150,000 budget had already been spent.

Safety concerns remain

Administration noted that completing the work before ditch mowing season is important for both safety and operational reasons.

Downed trees left in ditches can damage mowing equipment, create hazards for municipal staff and motorists, and complicate routine roadside maintenance.

Council also heard that the amount of debris exceeds what municipal crews could reasonably address while continuing to maintain regular summer operations across the M.D.

Council increases funding

The administration initially recommended transferring an additional $150,000 from cash flow reserves to complete the project.

However, during the discussion, Councillor Brian Koluk questioned whether that amount would be sufficient given the work still remaining.

“If we’re only 40 percent done, is $150,000 extra going to be enough?” Koluk asked.

Concerned that the administration could return later for more funding, the council opted to provide a larger contingency.

Koluk introduced a motion to increase the additional funding request to $200,000, which council approved.

The funding will come from the municipality’s cash flow reserves.

Preparing for future storms

The cleanup effort follows one of the most significant wind-related damage events the region has experienced in recent years.

While the work is expected to continue through June, council acknowledged that restoring roadsides and ditches is necessary to maintain safety and ensure municipal infrastructure can be properly maintained throughout the summer.

Once complete, the total budget for the windstorm cleanup project will reach $350,000.