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
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Feds hope to table foreign interference legislation next week: LeBlanc
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to table legislation this week to help the federal government address foreign interference, but he wouldn't say whether the proposal will include a foreign agent registry.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Centre Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs hasn't been ruled out of tonight's Game 7 against the Boston Bruins.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.