British Columbians evacuated due to flooding last week were offered a financial lifeline Tuesday after the province and the Canadian Red Cross said they were teaming up to provide an extra $2,000 per household.
Financial assistance will be doled out through the Red Cross to anyone whose primary residence was placed on evacuation order due to extreme weather between Nov. 15 and 16.
“Our humanitarian workforce has been activated to support response efforts in some of the hardest-hit communities, and the Red Cross will be there to assist people impacted by these floods, now and in the weeks and months to come,” said Canadian Red Cross vice-president, British Columbia and Yukon, Pat Quealey in a written statement.
Speaking at a briefing Tuesday afternoon, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth likened the assistance to similar supports provided to victims of fire over the summer.
Applicants must register with the Red Cross by calling 1-800-863-6582 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Pacific Time.
The B.C. government estimates more than 17,000 people have been displaced by last week’s floods. Farnworth said the next nine or 10 days could be “quite challenging” as a series of storms threaten the region with up to 80 millimetres of rain starting Wednesday night.
Anyone wishing to donate to the Canadian Red Cross can do so through a dedicated British Columbia Floods & Extreme Weather Appeal portal, by calling 1-800-418-1111, or by texting BCFLOODS to 30333.
