Almost 58,000 P.E.I. households – more than 110,000 people – have sought Red Cross assistance since Fiona

October 20, 2022

5 4 minutes read

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Almost two-thirds of P.E.I.’s inhabitants have utilized for help from the Pink Cross since post-tropical storm Fiona hit the area.

Figures supplied to SaltWire by the aid group present that much more Islanders have sought monetary assist from the Pink Cross than in the remainder of Atlantic Canada and japanese Quebec mixed.

Samer Naifeh, who lives in Charlottetown along with his spouse and two youngsters, is one such Islander.

He and his household spent 15 days with out energy after the storm. By the third day, he had thrown out all of his meals. The additional expense of a generator buy, in addition to the gasoline wanted to function it, was a success to the pocketbook.

“To be sincere, like, I have been damaged,” Naifeh instructed SaltWire on Oct. 19.

Naifeh, who works as a cook dinner at a seniors house, stated he was joyful to obtain a $250 aid cost from the Pink Cross. However he’s since been instructed by Pink Cross workers he will not be eligible for a second $500 aid cost supplied by the group.

Samer Naifeh spent 15 days without power following post-tropical storm Fiona. He believes he and other Islanders deserve more clarity from the Red Cross as to who will and who will not qualify for assistance. - Stu Neatby — Samer Naifeh spent 15 days with out energy following post-tropical storm Fiona. He believes he and different Islanders deserve extra readability from the Pink Cross as to who will and who is not going to qualify for help. – Stu Neatby

Naifeh says he is aware of others, together with single college students with no youngsters, who’ve been capable of acquire each of the aid cheques.

Naifeh believes that is unfair.

“We now have the suitable to know who authorizes the cost and the way they distribute it,” he stated.

Best want in P.E.I.

As of Oct. 18, there have been 93,426 households in Atlantic Canada and Japanese Quebec who registered for Pink Cross monetary help post-Fiona. This represents roughly 180,150 individuals.

Several buildings on the Covehead harbour on P.E.I.'s North Shore were destroyed in post-tropical storm Fiona while fishing gear such as traps were also washed out to sea. -Stu Neatby — A number of buildings on the Covehead harbour on P.E.I.’s North Shore have been destroyed in post-tropical storm Fiona whereas fishing gear akin to traps have been additionally washed out to sea. -Stu Neatby

Of these, a transparent majority — 57,951 households, or 110,157 individuals — have been P.E.I. residents

Dan Bedell, Atlantic regional communications director for the Canadian Pink Cross, stated the injury of post-tropical storm Fiona was unfold all through the area.

However the sheer variety of candidates for help has been highest in P.E.I.

“P.E.I. was extra badly impacted – as a province – than another one,” Bedell stated.

The Pink Cross is at present administering two large-scale aid cost applications in P.E.I. A $250 aid cost program is funded by the P.E.I. authorities and is obtainable to Islanders who struggled with meals or gasoline prices associated to prolonged energy outages.

Dan Bedell of the Canadian Red Cross confirmed close to 58,000 households in P.E.I., representing over 110,000 individuals, have registered for Red Cross assistance. - Contributed — Dan Bedell of the Canadian Pink Cross confirmed near 58,000 households in P.E.I., representing over 110,000 people, have registered for Pink Cross help. – Contributed

A second $500 cost program for Island households in want was launched on Oct. 7. This program is just like the $250 program however in P.E.I. in addition to within the hardest hit areas of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. This program is funded by way of Pink Cross donations.

In an e-mail, Invoice Lawlor of the Pink Cross stated eligibility for the $500 cheques is predicated on a survey and that “all solutions within the survey are used to find out eligibility.”

Thus far, 34,017 P.E.I. households have acquired $250 cheques. Most acquired the funds by way of a web-based e-transfer. Others accessed the funds by way of a cheque or pre-paid bank card.

A further 4,815 households have acquired the $500 funds.

Scrutiny and criticism

The Pink Cross has confronted scrutiny and criticism after many Islanders confronted hours-long lineups on the group’s workplaces in Charlottetown, Summerside or Montague in latest weeks. 1000’s have been instructed they wanted to confirm their identification or handle in-person earlier than receiving their $250 help funds.

As of Oct. 17, greater than 2,700 Islanders verified their id in individual at certainly one of these three workplaces, the Pink Cross stated.

Since then the group has begun verifying identification by way of Zoom calls and wait instances have been considerably shortened.

However others have been instructed they didn’t qualify for one or each of the funds.

Naifeh has phoned the aid group’s 1-800 quantity. He stated Pink Cross workers haven’t been clear in regards to the eligibility for both the $250 funds or the newer $500 funds.

“Have they got any system? Or simply … ‘who’s coming first? He’ll get the cake,’” Naifeh stated.

York associate professor Jack Rozdilsky says he has rarely seen post-disaster relief roll-out efforts go perfectly smoothly. But he says this is cold comfort to storm-affected Islanders waiting for help. - Contributed — York affiliate professor Jack Rozdilsky says he has not often seen post-disaster aid roll-out efforts go completely easily. However he says that is chilly consolation to storm-affected Islanders ready for assist. – Contributed

Advanced operation

Jack Rozdilsky, an affiliate professor of catastrophe and emergency at York College, stated it’s uncommon for post-disaster assist efforts to go easily after an occasion like Fiona.

“For the primary week or two weeks, there’s going to be screw-ups simply due to the character and the complexity of the operation,” Rozdilsky stated.

Rozdilsky additionally stated he has but to see something that signifies that there’s something “actually going improper” in Atlantic Canada in Fiona’s aftermath.

However he stated that is doubtless chilly consolation for storm-affected Islanders.

“Ready an additional two or three days to get what you are alleged to be getting — it is harsh. It is a horrible state of affairs,” Rozdilsky stated.

P.E.I. doubles N.S.

Regardless of this, Rozdilsky stated the Pink Cross continues to be higher geared up than governments to distribute aid funds shortly and effectively.

Figures supplied to SaltWire by the Nova Scotia authorities seem to bear this out.

The Nova Scotia authorities is administering its personal funds of $100 for people who misplaced energy and as much as $250 for people saddled with tree-removal bills.

As of Oct. 14, some15,000 cheques of both $100 or $250 have been issued by the Nova Scotia authorities, out of a complete of 110,000 candidates.

That is lower than half the variety of individuals in P.E.I. who’ve acquired Pink Cross cheques.

These figures supplied little solace to Naifeh. He’s nonetheless left questioning why he has been unable to entry the $500 help.

“For them, we’re simply numbers. Sorry, we aren’t numbers. We’re human,” Naifeh stated.

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