Post-Fiona cleanup continues in the Halifax Regional Municipality

Around the Halifax Regional Municipality, traffic lights at many intersections are not working. A number of businesses and restaurants are still closed; so are schools.

However, there are signs of hustle and bustle returning to the city, two days after Fiona.

On Sunday morning, Halifax resident Kate Harper was staggered by what she saw on her street.

“It’s a shocking way to wake up and see the destruction around the city,” said Harper, who added based on her experiences with Hurricane Juan, things could’ve been a lot worse. "There is not a tree through the front of my house and we still have a back deck remaining.”

The HRM has set up eight debris drop-off spots.

“This is our third load I think today,” said one city employee.

Halifax resident Blair Beed lost his power and the constant sound of generators was too much.

“Off to the hotel for me,” said Beed, who returned Monday to cleanup his wrecked back veranda.

"It’s a funny thing, the yard is sort of sheltered," said Beed. "Things you wouldn’t think would fall apart, fell apart.”

As he surveys his street, Beed has a question.

“Do city trees get taken care of by the city?”

According to the HRM website, they do.

• The city will remove city owned trees that fall on private property.
• If fallen trees block traffic sidewalks or bike lanes, residents should call 311.
• Trees on private property are the responsibility of homeowners.
• The HRM is not responsible for removing brush and debris from private property.

Beed also wants an answer to another pressing question.

"Does the neighbour’s tree that damages your house, get paid for by the neighbour that owns the tree?" asked Beed. "I think a lot of neighbours are eyeing each other, and saying, 'who is paying for this mess?' "

Those are more complicated questions that Beed knows will be settled through insurance in the near future.