Matching Fiona relief donations from Ottawa not yet delivered to Red Cross

Funds promised by Ottawa to help the CanadianRed Cross with relief efforts following post-tropical storm Fionahave not yet been received.

Public Safety Canada promised in September to match donationsreceived by the Red Cross through the charity's fundraising appealbetween Sept. 24 and Oct. 31.

Work is ongoing "to finalize the donations during this periodeligible for federal fund matching, and to share the final amountraised thanks to the generosity of Canadians from coast to coast tocoast," said department spokesperson Tim Warmington in an email Thursday.

The Canadian Red Cross says it has provided the federalgovernment with a summary of the donations it feels are eligible tobe matched.

"It's then the prerogative of the federal government, not theRed Cross, to announce the amount government has approved as amatching contribution," said charity spokesperson Dan Bedell in anemail Wednesday.

Post-tropical storm Fiona tore through the East Coast on themorning of Sept. 24, causing widespread damage in Nova Scotia,Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. The storm knocked down treesand power lines across Atlantic Canada, and it washed away severalhomes in southwestern Newfoundland.

In Port aux Basques, N.L., a community of approximately 3,500people, about 100 homes have been condemned because of thedestruction wrought by Fiona. Most of those homeowners have beendenied coverage from their insurance providers.

The Red Cross launched a fundraising campaign, called theHurricane Fiona in Canada Appeal, to help those affected by thestorm, which tore through places like Puerto Rico as a hurricane butwas downgraded by the time it reached Canada.

As of Nov. 17, Bedell said the campaign had raised about $31million in donations, about $27.3 million of which had beendistributed or committed in the form of one-time $500 payments toaffected households across the region. Almost all of the money wentto Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia, where many residents lostpower.

Bedell said Wednesday he could not say how the agency spent theremainder of the donations, adding that discussions were ongoing with provincial governments about how to spend any remaining contributions.

"In due course we plan a publicly available update on the statusof our Hurricane Fiona in Canada Appeal and how the funds have beenspent," Bedell said.

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