Compared to the Bahamas, damage from Dorian is mild in the Maritimes, but cleaning up the mess the storm left behind is taking time and money.
Jason Slaunwhite is a lobster fisherman, but it's his off season and he's keeping busy by collecting firewood.
"I remove it, cut it up, and burn it next winter," he said.
He works for free and keeps the wood, which is a pretty good trade-off.
"Customers really like it because you're cleaning up for them, too," Slaunwhite says.
But affordable cleanup is not the norm these days.
The Halifax Regional Municipality frequently hires extra workers.
"We do use a number of contractors through standing offer," said Halifax spokeswoman Maggie-Jane Spray. "Given the recent weather event, we also increased the number of contractors we've taken on to help with the cleanup."
Contactors hired by the HRM can't charge more when their services are in greater demand.
"It's a pre-determined rate," Spray said.
But in the private sector, the Better Business Bureau says overcharging during times like this is common.
"It's not nice, no," said Kristin Matthews of the Better Business Bureau.
It's not always illegal, either.
"Technically, the term price-gauging doesn't exist unless there is a state of emergency declared," said Matthews.
There was no state of emergency declared after Dorian and Matthews says, so far, there have been no reported cases of businesses and contractors over-charging.
"We typically like to see companies maintain their pricing models in times like this to help out the community," Matthews said.
But it's something they continue to watch for, especially as the cleanup continues post-Dorian.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada urges people to do lots of research and make sure they're paying the right price before paying for a service or making a purchase, despite the urgency of the situation.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Paul Hollingsworth.
