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
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.