Some Nova Scotians affected by storm unsure if they qualify for federal Fiona recovery fund
It's been a rollercoaster of emotions already for Nova Scotia resident Johnny Parsons, and now it's taken another twist.
After suffering life changing damage to his uninsured home during Fiona, he's not sure if he qualifies for federal assistance to fix it.
“I'm really mad. He was in my house and told us we'd be looked after,” said Parsons.
The "he" Parsons refers to is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. On Tuesday, Trudeau toured parts of Nova Scotia assessing the damage left behind by post-tropical storm Fiona. The PM also announced a $300-million Fiona recovery fund for Atlantic Canadians impacted by the storm.
“We are there to help people rebuild from Fiona, whether it be federal infrastructures, whether it be community infrastructure, whether it be people who are facing challenges from uninsured structural damage in their homes, we are there to help out,“ said Trudeau on Tuesday.
However, it seems there is some confusion on who qualifies for the funding.
In an email to CTV News Wednesday, the press secretary to ACOA Minister Ginnette Petitpas Taylor said "the new Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund doesn’t provide assistance for structural damages to homes that is not covered by insurance."
“If I were advising a politician, I would be very, very careful about the sweeping statements that you make,” said Cape Breton University Political Science Professor Tom Urbaniak.
Urbaniak says there are a lot of lessons to be learned from this storm.
“Coordination has been wobbly. There are people who have fallen through the cracks, in terms of support and even not having their power restored, so this has revealed a lot,” said Urbaniak.
Parsons says, whether he qualifies or not, he has to find some way to repair his home.
“Sure, they called it a company home, but it's my home. I've been here 40 years,” said Parsons.
CTV News reached out the prime minister's office several times on Wednesday for clarification, which advised that the Financial Assistance Arrangements program is meant to assist uninsured homeowners.
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