Quebec public safety minister visits storm-beaten Magdalen Islands
Quebec Public Safety Minister Geneviève Guilbault flew to the Magdalen Islands Sunday morning to see the extent of the damage left in the wake of post-tropical storm Fiona.
"On Friday, we had sent additional reinforcements, so people from the Sûreté du Québec, Hydro-Québec, the Ministry of Transport, Civil Security and the Ministry of Public Security. We are going to meet with these people and take stock of the situation. These people are tired and we can understand it, they have been in intense preparation and intervention for three to four days. So, we will go to thank them and see with them the damage on site," said Guilbault in a press scrum before boarding the plane.
The Magdalen Islands were hit hard by Fiona on Saturday, which also devastated Nova Scotia and other parts of the Atlantic.
"The wind storm ended around 10 p.m. in the Magdalen Islands and is still ongoing this morning in the Lower North Shore, particularly in Blanc-Sablon. The combination of waves and storm surge there leads us to believe that there could be coastal overflows, but so far, so good," Guilbault said around 9 a.m. Sunday morning.
Only 255 customers were without power in the Magdalen Islands at about 10:30 a.m. Sunday. That number was about 1,714 the day before.
"There were no deaths. There were no injuries. It's always the main thing to make sure people are safe. The road network in the Magdalen Islands was restored last night as well," the public safety minister added.
The municipality also announced Sunday morning that most residents could continue consuming drinking water as usual.
"The situation regarding municipal drinking water wells has returned to normal, with the exception of L'Île-du-Havre-Aubert, where the wells are still not operating at full capacity. We therefore ask the citizens of the sector to limit as much as possible their consumption of drinking water," reads a statement posted to Facebook.
AID FOR VICTIMS
At least 37 islanders were evacuated to one of the four temporary accommodation centers in the region, according to the latest information.
"These people were redirected to commercial accommodation because it is always more comfortable than a collective shelter and, as there were not many evacuees, we were able to do so with the collaboration of the Red Cross," Guilbaut explained.
She said an official disaster assistance office will open at the beginning of the week for those with damaged private property to "inform them about our financial assistance programs" and assist them directly.
Guilbaut, who is also the deputy premier of Quebec, said she should have a better idea of the extent and nature of the damage by the end of the day.
"What I'm hearing preliminarily this morning is that there is a lot of damage to the road system or municipal infrastructure and critical infrastructure. Obviously, some damage to private property is expected from some citizens, so we're going to go through that today, now that it's safe to do so."
ARMY SERVICES NOT REQUIRED
The Quebec government will not call for military assistance, as was done in Nova Scotia.
"We don't need the army. Our operational capacity has not been exceeded at all. The teams were ready for at least four days. All week, we prepared for Fiona's arrival," said Guilbault.
It is still unclear whether the Quebec government will submit a request for financial assistance to the federal government.
It should also be noted that the state of emergency, declared by the municipality on Friday, is in effect for a period of five days.
"It will then be up to them to see if they still need it," Guilbault said.
ADVANCE POLLS CHANGED
Unsurprisingly, advance voting was cancelled Sunday on the Magdalen Islands in light of the storm.
Weather permitting, electors will be able to vote at the advance polls on Monday from 9 a.m to 10 p.m., according to Elections Quebec.
Advance polls will also be held at the office of the returning officer from Sept. 27 to 29.
This report was published in French by The Canadian Press on Sept. 25, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.