Additional support announced for people, industries in N.S. impacted by Fiona

The Canadian Red Cross and the Nova Scotia and federal governments announced several measures Friday aimed at supporting people and businesses negatively affected by post-tropical storm Fiona.

The powerful storm swept through the province on Sept. 24, leaving more than 400,000 Nova Scotia Power customers without electricity.

The Red Cross opened a temporary office in Pictou, N.S., on Friday. To access certain Red Cross programs, some people are required to meet with officials in person.

The Pictou office is located at 99 Water St. at the deCoste Centre for Arts and Creativity. People in Pictou and neighbouring counties won't have to drive to Sydney or Dartmouth for assistance.

The Red Cross manages two programs:

• A one-time payment of $1,000 per eligible household for people ordered out of their homes because of Fiona or can't return home because of damage caused by Fiona.
• $500 to eligible households unable to meet basic needs due to damage from Fiona. The households must be located within Antigonish, Cape Breton, Colchester, Cumberland, Guysborough, Inverness, Pictou, Richmond or Victoria counties.

People can apply online or by phone at 1-800-863-6582 between 7 a.m. AT and 10 p.m. AT daily. People may then be asked to meet in person. The temporary office in Pictou is open from noon to 6 p.m. on weekdays, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.

Dan Bedell, the Red Cross's spokesperson for the Atlantic region, said the Pictou office will be open for as long as needed.

"A lot of people are still just getting back up and running after having power restored and dealing with other issues, so not everyone has even had the opportunity to apply yet for some of these programs," he said.

Agriculture, forestry supports announced

The province announced programs targeting the agriculture and forestry industries.

For the agriculture sector, this includes a one-time $2,500 grant that will be automatically sent to registered farms in central, northern and eastern Nova Scotia that experienced financial losses because of infrastructure or crop damage, livestock loss or extended power outages due to the storm.

Private woodlot owners needing help to clean up trees that were blown down or left leaning, weakened or vulnerable because of Fiona can tap into up to $3.45 million of funding. It said a third-party organization will oversee the process and determine eligible amounts.

"Private woodlot owners make a significant economic contribution to rural communities all around the province," Tory Rushton, minister of natural resources and renewables, said in a statement.

"This funding will help ensure the downed trees they've spent decades growing do not go to waste on the forest floor."

Details for the province's support packages can be found here.

In a Friday news release, Employment and Social Development Canada urged people who are unable to work because of Fiona to apply for employment insurance. The department said people can do this even if they haven't received a record of employment.