OTTAWA, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Tuesday the creation of the Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund.
The fund will provide up to an additional 300 million Canadian dollars (240 million U.S. dollars) over two years to help those impacted by the storm and to support long-term recovery efforts, Trudeau said in a news release.
The new fund will provide support for costs that may not be covered by existing federal programs, including the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFAA). Through the DFAA, the federal government covers up to 90 percent of eligible provincial expenses following a disaster, including providing transportation, emergency food, and shelter, and restoring or replacing uninsurable dwellings and items, the release said.
Since the storm, up to 850 Canadian Armed Forces members have been deployed to remove debris to assist in the restoration of transportation links and the power grid, as well as perform wellness checks in affected communities, according to the release.
After making landfall on Sept. 24, Fiona brought intense, hurricane-strength winds and torrential rains to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Quebec's Magdalen Islands in eastern Canada, leaving half a million homes and businesses without power and prompting municipalities to declare a local state of emergency.
