Canadians who are not impacted by the devastation caused by post-tropical storm Fiona over the weekend are being asked by the Red Cross to donate to relief efforts.
Atlantic Canada was pummeled by the storm on Saturday, leaving a trail of destruction.
In Newfoundland and Labrador, where homes in Port aux Basque were washed out to sea, the body of a 73-year-old woman was recovered Sunday afternoon.
In Nova Scotia, uprooted trees are scattered throughout the province and hundreds of thousands remain without power, which authorities say could take days to restore. The Canadian Armed forces have been called in to help restore electricity.
The military has also been called to Prince Edward Island, as tens of thousands remain without power on Monday and damage to property and uprooted trees cause havoc.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a press conference that the federal government would match any Red Cross donations to provide Fiona relief.
The Red Cross is asking those impacted by Fiona to register with the charity so they can be notified about services and assistance.
For donors, a $10 donation can be given by texting FIONA to 20222 and further donations can be given online or by calling 1-800-418-1111.
However, Trudeau’s statements have been troubling for other charities who are questioning why the federal government is only matching donations for a single charity.
Rahul Singh, with GlobalMedic, a humanitarian relief organization that provides aid in areas affected by natural disasters or complex emergencies, told CTV Toronto Sunday that matching only one charity “comes at the expense of other agencies,” he said.
Less private funding will come to GlobalMedic as a result and there are many other agencies along with the Red Cross that are working to provide relief in Atlantic Canada, he said.
Donating to GlobalMedic for Fiona relief can be done online.
With files from CTV Toronto’s Austin Delaney
