The province is coming under heavy criticism for not providing two-for-one funding to the disaster relief initiative.
The Disaster Relief committee reported at city council Monday that the province wouldn’t be providing two-for-one funding because the city was eligible for $1.8 million in disaster relief cash. This came despite the total for the claims being about $4.2 million.
So far, the province appears to be contributing $300,000 to the $1.5 million that was raised locally.
Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath asked premier Kathleen Wynne during question period why, when she was minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, did she promise residents funding of up to $3.2 million for private losses.
“The people of Thunder Bay found out that they’re only going to be getting $300,000,” Horwath said from Queen’s Park Wednesday.
“Does the premier think it’s a fair adjustment for people who have already lost so much?”
The premier responded, saying the process is underway to pay out those claims that were filed.
Wynne had made an announcement last year in June that the city and area would receive up to $3.2 million in order to assist private owners and up to $10 million to assist with the city’s infrastructure.
She said that both of Thunder Bay’s MPPs worked hard to make sure money flowed to residents.
Horwarth wasn’t the only one to have harsh words for the government.
Herb Daniher, the local United Steelworkers Union representative, voiced his frustration that the province may be providing only $300,000.
“Something needs to be done,” he said. “It’s outrageous and ridiculous that they played on the people’s heartstrings. It’s not the committee that did this; it’s the government.”
Daniher’s organization has a charity fund that workers pay into. Normally that fund goes to food banks and to the shelter house, but the decision was made to help those impacted by the May 28th floods.
He said the way the government is administrating the criteria for the fund they may as well have given the cheque to local MPPs.
He suggested that $600,000 be taken from the Disaster Relief fund and the province match that two-for-one. That will bring the flood relief fund back to $1.8.
Daniher said the rest of the money could then go to other charities.
Mayor Keith Hobbs agreed that the blame didn’t rest with the Disaster Relief committee but refused to place blame on anyone because he said it wouldn’t help anything.
Hobbs, who didn’t attend the last council meeting, said he was as surprised as anyone when he heard the city wasn’t getting the two-for-one funding.
“To me this seems to be a huge miscommunication,” he said. “The Disaster Relief committee is telling us one thing and the province is saying another. I was under the impression that every dollar that we raised locally was going to be matched. It was a top up to get to the eligibility numbers.”
Hobbs added they’re asking the province to include $4.1 million in the $10 million public fund.
The mayor also gave praise to the volunteers on the Disaster Relief committee and urged everyone not to place blame on them.
“Anyone that criticizes that committee is right out to lunch,” he said.
