Financial assistance provided by province for Cape Breton storm victims
Posted Oct 14, 2016 07:14:23 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
HALIFAX — Premier Stephen McNeil says the province is providing $500,000 in immediate emergency aid for people in Cape Breton affected by damage caused by last weekend’s massive rainfall.
McNeil says the province is also now asking for help under the federal national disaster relief program.
He says there is no final figure for damage as of yet.
“Our own highway infrasturcture routine would be above the $3-million threshold. we need to go through the process and see what insurance will cover, what they won’t, what is not insured. We know it will be above the $3-million.”
McNeil says the government knows a larger financial commitment will be required and it is currently assessing how much more will be needed.
Meanwhile, all customers who were lost their power due to the storm are now back on line, except for a few customers in extreme situations.
Nova Scotia Power spokesperson Beverley Ware says the biggest challenges power crews faced were fallen trees on power lines and flooding in the Sydney area.
“Tremendous challenges in us being able to safely get to customer’s homes to restore them and also for their homes to be in a situation where it was safe for the power to be turned back on.”
Ware thanks Nova Scotia Power customers for their patience and their support, noting the support power line crews received acted as true morale boosters for them.
The last restoration was at 11 this morning.
