Comfort centres coming to Cape Breton after Fiona
It’s been more than two months since post-tropical storm Fiona hit the Maritimes and left a lasting impression.
Now, the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) is looking at ways they can be better prepared for the next major storm.
“The idea is to identify comfort centres on a go-forward basis, where people can go for a warm meal, to charge their cell phone or if they need a roof over their head,” said councillor James Edwards.
In the days following the storm, there were long line ups at gas stations.
Many of them had no power, making for frustrating fuel shortages.
Edwards says a proactive approach is needed.
“The first day after Fiona, the CBRM advised the Glace Bay Miners Forum would be a comfort centre, and we get here and there wasn't any generators,” he said.
The request comes as Nova Scotians could be seeing their power bills increase by 14 percent over the next two years.
While the provincial government introduced legislation to cap rate increases, that cap did not extend to fuel costs.
Even two months post-Fiona, there are frequent power outages and some feel more work is needed to keep people connected to the grid.
“Sometimes privatization is not better than things being in public hands,” said Cape Breton University professor Tom Urbaniak. “There was an ideology afoot in the 1990s that the private sector can do everything better. We're seeing from this that, no, the private sector can't always do everything better.”
Urbaniak says governments at all levels need to be better prepared and learn from how Fiona was handled.
“I do see many gaps in public policy, many gaps in infrastructure and some of them are practical and basic gaps, including the absence of comfort centres in some large communities,” said Urbaniak.
Edwards says he was without power for nearly 10 hours on Saturday.
“Yesterday wasn't a really cold day, but if it was February and it was a really cold day, all of a sudden that comfort centre is more important,” he said.
Edwards says an issue paper has been sent out to determine the cost surrounding such projects.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
U.S. says Israel's use of U.S. arms likely violated international law, but evidence is incomplete
The Biden administration said Israel's use of U.S.-provided weapons in Gaza likely violated international humanitarian law but wartime conditions prevented U.S. officials from determining that for certain in specific airstrikes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'We have laws': Premier Smith says police action justified in Calgary
The actions, including the decision to use non-lethal force, to disperse pro-Palestinian protesters from the University of Calgary campus were justified, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said Friday.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.