N.S. property owners face delays in trying to make Fiona-related repairs
For Nova Scotians still waiting for repairs after post-tropical storm Fiona, it’s now been more than five months.
Repeatedly there have been pleas for help, and for some, it hasn't come.
“We were told [a] four to six week wait and we're now going on 14 weeks,” said Thomas Lynk, who lives in Westmount, N.S.
After CTV News reported on a woman from Louisbourg, N.S., who was still waiting to see if insurance would cover damage to her home, help did eventually come in the form of a settlement from her insurance company.
In January, the Insurance Bureau of Canada estimated insured damages from post-tropical storm Fiona would reach $800 million. The figure is higher than the bureau's original estimate of $660 million.
The revised estimation makes hurricane Fiona the seventh costliest extreme weather event in Canada's history and the most costly in Atlantic Canada.
“There have been a number of constituents primarily dealing with insurance delays and difficulty getting a hold of their insurance company. We haven't had too many constituents up to this point follow up in the last couple weeks with anything related to the DFA,” said Sydney River-Mira-Louisbourg MLA Brian Comer.
The Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program was announced after the storm to help people and organizations with uninsurable losses.
“I think we still need to work hard on getting the money out and we are working on that. I know people are concerned about that and we're working on it,” said John Lohr, minister of municipal affairs and housing.
Lohr says the province has received 800 applications.
He's met with the federal government and has requested more assistance.
“I did ask for a low income cut off, that if you're below a certain income the insurance requirement is waived. I have no idea if they will do that, but that's something we see as a need,” said Lohr.
He has also asked about the $300 million given to Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and says some of that money still hasn't been allocated.
“The reality is, I think, Ottawa is going in a different direction, which I’m disappointed to say,” said Lohr. “They want insurance involved all the time and how they can backstop flood insurance.”
Meanwhile, the waiting game continues for residents who say they have waited long enough.
With files from the Canadian Press.
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 Friday that 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.