I raised concerns regarding emergency preparedness for extreme weather events, focusing on the availability of reception centres in unincorporated areas, Islanders’ reliance on electric heating systems, and the wildfire risk posed by remaining storm debris. The Minister of Justice, Public Safety, and Attorney General acknowledged the questions, referenced prior initiatives such as increased funding for reception centres, and mentioned ongoing cleanup efforts and collaboration with fire departments to manage wildfire risks. However, specific data about vulnerable Islanders and electric heating contingencies were not provided in the responses.
Here is the exact text of the questions from MLA B. Trivers and the responses from the Minister of Justice, Public Safety and Attorney General during Question Period on November 12, 2024:
Question from MLA B. Trivers: “As we continue to face the realities of a changing climate, extreme weather events like Hurricane Fiona have shown how important it is to have well-prepared reception centres and a resilient emergency response strategy in place. Yet, we only have two non-municipal reception centres on the Island – only two.
The reception centre map on the government website shows a large unincorporated area centered on Pleasant Valley with no reception centres nearby. In fact, the Hunter River reception centre isn’t even on the map.
Being a representative of much of that area, I know that communities have and will step up during emergencies – for example, our fire departments – however, there doesn’t seem to be a coordinated plan in place for the Island, and I’m unsure if Islanders are confident that they know where to turn for help in emergency situations.
A question to the Minister of Public Safety: Do all Islanders, especially in unincorporated areas, know what reception centres they can rely on, and have we collected data about vulnerable Islanders so we know who may need help during an extreme weather event?”
Response from Minister of Justice, Public Safety and Attorney General: “I do understand his confusion because I did have an open house at EMO for all MLAs, and I did not see the member there. That would have gone over all of this, and we would have been very much prepared. Go back and check your emails for that invite.
Since Fiona, we’ve spent over $1 million on reception centres with generators and assisting them with equipment, supplies, and everything else. That information can be found on the website. I’m not sure why Hunter River is missing; I’ll go back and find that out.”
Follow-up from MLA B. Trivers: “Well, Madam Speaker, I think other members can see why I don’t go to the EMO; that would have been my third time there and I never get any answers when I go.
Islanders are switching to heating their homes by electricity, whether with heat pumps or electric heaters. If we have a long-term power outage caused by an extreme weather event in the dead of winter, then it is crucial that there is a plan for these Islanders to heat their homes. Some electricians I know are even raising concerns that they have switched some homes to large electric boilers; they would even have trouble finding a generator that would produce the power needed to keep the heat on.
Question to the Minister of Public Safety: Do we know how many Islanders rely on electricity for heat but do not have access to generators or secondary non-electric heat sources?”
Response from Minister of Justice, Public Safety and Attorney General: “I know we’ve gone to great lengths to ensure that Islanders get a heat pump to lower their costs. I’m not sure if we have that information of whether generators can handle that, but I assure the member that EMO is always evolving, always improving. We’ve increased our budget spend since Fiona with $4 million.”
Second Follow-up from MLA B. Trivers: “It’s been two years since Hurricane Fiona. These are questions that have been asked again and again over the last two years, and there’s still no answers. We need answers. Islanders need answers. They need to be safe in their homes.
We also know that there is a significant amount of dry wood and storm debris still on the ground from Hurricanes Dorian and Fiona, posing a major wildfire risk. This adds to the urgency of our emergency preparedness efforts.
Question to the Minister of Public Safety: What specific actions are being taken to clean up woodlot debris, reduce the risk of wildfires, and plan for evacuations and firefighting if fires do occur – God forbid – particularly in vulnerable areas of the province, like those adjacent to our national parks?”
Response from Minister of Justice, Public Safety and Attorney General: “I can tell you the cleanup has been astronomical since Fiona. The Department of Transportation has gone above and beyond their work in cleaning up, and I think any Islander will tell you the appreciation of government of cleaning up the debris.
We’ve given fire departments over $2 million to help fight forest fires over this time. We’ve been working with the department of forestry, with the new minister, to ensure the proper woodlots are looked after and managed. We’ll continue to do that, and we’ll continue to work with everyone to ensure that during an emergency, everyone is safe on this Island.”
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