As Post-Tropical Storm Fiona battered Atlantic Canada after making landfall early Saturday, Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair says the federal government is marshalling federal resources to help provinces in the aftermath of the storm.
Blair told CTV News Channel on Saturday that preparations for the storm began several days ago “in close collaboration” with the provinces.
“Everyone is working to make sure we recover as quickly as possible and to that end we have been working very closely and receiving … requests for assistance from our provincial counterparts,” he said.
Hurricane-force winds hit Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, and southwestern Newfoundland. According to the Canadian Hurricane Center, maximum wind gusts reached 161 km/h over Beaver Island, NS
Authorities estimated that half a million homes and businesses in the Maritimes were without power Saturday morning, forcing municipalities to declare a local state of emergency.
“The cleanup is going to be extensive, and our first priority of course is to make sure everyone is safe, and then we’re all going to work together to help rebuild what has been damaged,” Blair said.
Blair said the federal government has been in contact with the premiers of the five affected provinces and that Indigenous Services Canada is working with First Nations communities to secure support.
The federal government is also prepared to organize strategic airlift assets for evacuation, armed forces to help with debris removal and repair, and hydroelectric services, it added.
“We are having discussions directly with Nova Scotia about federal resources from the Coast Guard, the Canadian Armed Forces, Parks Canada and Transport Canada, all to help that province,” Blair said.
“We (also) have a disaster financial assistance agreement with the provinces after these natural events, which is very significant and important for the resources that are needed to rebuild and recover this.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted their support to the affected provinces on Saturday afternoon.
“Our government stands ready to support the provinces with additional resources,” he wrote.
Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are already reporting the damaging effects of the storm
By Friday night, more than 14,000 homes and businesses in Nova Scotia had been plunged into darkness. Most of the blackouts were reported in the central part of the province, mainly in the communities of Sackville, Truro and Stellarton.
On Prince Edward Island, more than 1,000 homes and businesses lost power as winds picked up across the region.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said Saturday that he has requested military assistance from the federal government. Additionally, Nova Scotia has requested the support of the Canadian Armed Forces to assist in cleanup and power restoration efforts following the storm.
“Fiona is the biggest rain and wind event Nova Scotia has seen in nearly 20 years. Thousands of people are hard at work on the ground to assess the damage and restore power, but they need help,” said John Lohr, Minister from Nova Scotia. head of the Office of Emergency Management in a statement.
“Through past experiences with storms like Dorian, we know the military makes a real difference in how quickly we can cut down and remove trees, clean up debris and restore power.”
Archived by Canadian Press and Adam Frisk of CTVNews.ca