I shoot Canon, but the repair cost story is usually something similar, you pay for shipping (both ways), and it’s rare that something gets out of the Canon repair center for under US $500, no matter how seemingly minor the problem. I take that back, they once charged me US $200 to remove a polarizing filter that was hopelessly stuck on the lens. Canon does offer a paid subscription to Canon Professional Services, where for an annual fee you can get free shipping and discounts on the repairs. I don’t knows if Sony offers a similar program or not.
For an $1,100 lens I’d just buy a new one, and then going forward investigate putting your gear on your homeowners insurance policy, which at least here in the USA is a reasonably economical way to insure your camera gear. It may be a viable option in Canada too.