After Popular Attention Washes Away: Check‑in Post‑Fiona

Hurricane Fiona remains the most expensive extreme weather event ever recorded in Atlantic Canada and is now the seventh largest in Canada's history in terms of insured damages. Average annual losses from disasters have quadrupled since 2008 and are forecast to be $15.4 billion in Canada by 2030. The federal government launched the Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund, totaling $300 million over 2 years. The province of Nova Scotia launched a $40M financial relief package, with additional sector-specific compensation. Has this relief funding reached those that need it most? How are communities repairing and rebuilding and how are individuals, especially those with a disability recovering post-Fiona? How do we ensure relief programs and services are accessible and support people with disabilities? This panel will explore the challenges in post-disaster recovery and the opportunities for improvement.
Speakers:
Anne Camozzi - Artist, Writer, Disability Advocate
Amanda McDougall-Merrill - Mayor, Cape Breton Regional Municipality
Paul Kovacs - Executive Director, Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction
Kaitlynne Lowe - Research Assistant, MacEachen Institute