Federal government approves assistance extension for provinces hit by Fiona
More help is on the way for Atlantic Canadians one week after post-tropical storm Fiona.
The federal government announced Saturday that they approved requests for extensions of federal assistance on Thursday from the provincial governments of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The move will see additional support provided by the Canadian Armed Forces, Canadian Coast Guard, and Transport Canada to assist with tree and debris removal, roadwork, aerial imagery and mapping of damage and accommodation supports.
"Our thoughts are with all Canadians affected by Hurricane Fiona, as well as with the first responders and volunteers who are working tirelessly to help those in need,” said Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair in a release.
“As a government, we are united in our resolve to be there for the people and communities that have been impacted and we will continue to work in close collaboration with our provincial and municipal partners. Together, we will get through this."
The federal government has also launched a program to match donations to the Canadian Red Cross between Sept. 25 and Oct. 24.
"As communities in Atlantic Canada and Eastern Quebec face the devastating impacts of Hurricane Fiona, our Canadian Armed Forces are doing whatever it takes to help Canadians and support provincial and local authorities,” said Minister of National Defense Anita Anand in the release.
“We have activated resources and personnel to provide immediate support to local authorities, helping re-establish electricity, remove debris, and conduct wellness checks."
Two days after the extensions were approved, Conservative MPs in Nova Scotia called on the federal government to send more troops to aid with clean-up efforts across the province.
“It has now been one week since Hurricane Fiona devastated Nova Scotia and even after one full week there are thousands of people across Nova Scotia without power; thousands whose roads remain impassible; and thousands who cannot access work, school or basic services,” said MPs Stephen Ellis and Rick Perkins in a joint press release.
The two MPs noted that within one week of Hurricane Dorian, the federal government provided over 700 troops to Nova Scotia to help with clean-up from the storm.
“The time for photo-ops is over,” Ellis and Perkins continued. “The first and only priority of the Trudeau government should be providing the province with the immediate support it needs in both troops and financial aid. Anything less is unacceptable.”
On Sunday, Anand announced that the federal government would deploy an additional 200 personnel to assist with the roughly 350 troops already on the ground.
"We will continue to deploy the right number of personnel to accomplish the tasks asked of the Canadian Armed Forces, and we will be there for as long as it takes to get these critical tasks done," Anand said in a tweet.
Correction
A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the assistance extensions were accepted on Saturday. The story has been updated to reflect that the extensions were approved on Thursday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.