Comments on: Tornado disaster relief committee expects to disburse more than $6 million

By: Duncan Jewell, Chair - Disaster Relief Committee

Duncan Jewell, Chair - Disaster Relief Committee — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:27:14 +0000

I am taking this opportunity to clarify a number of issues raised in the comments by readers.
In addition to Melissa’s excellent response about the awareness of the program through many avenues, the Committee also had the information on five websites within the County including the websites of Central Huron, ACW, Goderich, Huron County and the Committee. Four Open Houses were held. Three media conferences were held where the information was also included and as Chair, I personally conducted over 25 media interviews.
All of the Committee members are volunteers appointed from the three municipalities affected.
The information about each claimant is confidential to the staff, the Committee deals with the applications based on a number BUT no names. No claimant’s name has been spoken at any of the 26 Committee meetings held to date.
The program provides financial assistance to claimants to pay up to 90% of the eligible costs not covered by insurance to restore the property to pre-disaster conditions. It does not pay for any enhancements.
Based on direction from the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, the Committee determined not to allow any further applications other than those received by the November 25, 2011 deadline.
The provincial money is UP TO 2:1 based on the approved eligible claims paid at 90%. There is NO pile of money at the Ministry assigned to Goderich. After each meeting, the committee through the Town of Goderich requests additional funding based on the approved claims at that meeting and documents to the Town and the Ministry.
There were 35 files that were not eligible because the property was not a primary residence, the claim was for a vehicle, the claim was for loss of income or revenue, the claim was for landscaping. These are a few examples of items which are ineligible according to the Ministry rules.
Please feel free to call me at 519.524.8558 if you have further questions.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 19:15:52 +0000

Sorry for the misunderstanding – I didn’t receive help from the fund because my insurance coverage actually was adequate and did what they were supposed to and so therefore I didn’t need to apply.

By: Heather Boa

Heather Boa — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 18:18:13 +0000

Editor’s note: The committee members are from the local area. The deadline is imposed upon the local committee by the Ontario Disaster Relief Assistance Program.

By: Terra Rayner

Terra Rayner — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:39:10 +0000

Imposing a deadline has made it so that there isn’t an ACTUAL total amount of required funds, there are families that are still without and just according to this article there are 35 turned away completely the communication for all of this has been poor and stipulations placed on relief from this have obviously made it nearly impossible for anyone to qualify. Curious which commercial establishment was able to secure almost 1 million dollars of this money? That could have put quite a few families back in their homes. They too suffered! Members of this committee in my understanding weren’t from the area or weren’t supposed to be so they have their homes and regular lifestyle so it’s easy for them to sit back and impose deadlines and criteria walk the shoes of the ones affected and it would have a different outcome, no one should have to go through what that town has gone through and then to get another kick in the face when they cannot return to their normal lives. How many affected are truly satisfied that not only they understood what was happening with this fund but with how it has ended for them. And there is still the question of leftover money, the government was giving UP TO a 2 to 1 ratio the committee by the end will have put out up to 7 million, so even if the government only matched 1 to 1 that still leaves 1 to 2 million in relief available based on the raised funds of 4 million. If its the 2 to 1 ratio then there will be 5 to 6 million left over, GET THE FAMILIES BACK IN THEIR HOMES….this is absolutely ridiculous…..all of them give them relief!!!!

By: Joe Switzer

Joe Switzer — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 05:12:52 +0000

A deadline to apply is required because until a total amount of required funds can be determined, it is impossible to know what can be covered.

By: Terra Rayner

Terra Rayner — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 00:53:30 +0000

Thank you for clarifying about the deadline as I don’t live there anymore so I don’t know but I also don’t think there should have been a deadline, nor stipulations on who or how you could access the help. EVERYONE should have received help regardless of claim if insurance wasn’t covering it, that’s why I donated and that’s what I thought would have happened. I really hope that there are some changes made quickly that everyone gets the help they deserve including yourself. I’m very sorry that you lost your home and that you haven’t had any help. That is very upsetting considering the relief program is to help ALL affected. I would also like to know what made some worthy and others not, it’s actually disgusting to think that there is a criteria. The tornado didn’t discriminate and the fund shouldn’t either.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:38:17 +0000

My only comment is about not knowing there was a deadline. The tornado happened at the end of August and the deadline for the ODRAP fund was the end of November. No, not everyone had a house for people to go door to door. But everyone had a mailing address. Those most severely affected received mail about the tornado and steps to take next from everyone from the town to their utility companies. I know that because I was one them and still have copies of them. Those who couldn’t re-enter their homes still drove by them. There were notices taped on them in the first week after the tornado asking them to contact Red Cross. If they did that, then they would have learned about it from them from a follow up phone call when the information became available. I know that because they called me. The application process and its deadline were posted in the Signal Star every week for at least two months. It was on the local radio stations for at least two months. It was on Channel 12 for at least two months. It was on the Goderich tornado victims and support Facebook page, which had over 7000 members, moderated by the ED of Bruce Grey United Way, on a daily basis. The information was at the Out of the Storm fund-raising event, which those most severely affected were offered free tickets to, if they wanted them. The media coverage of that event and following that event also reinforced the deadline. The process and its deadline was posted on Bullet News Huron repeatedly. All social service agencies were aware of this process and its deadline and shared it with any clients they had that needed that information. It was posted at the library and other public buildings throughout town. It was also (obviously) posted clearly on the application form itself. The deadline was even extended a month from the original deadline date, and another media blitz was done again when they extended it. Throughout all of it, part of the message given, was that even if you didn’t know the full extent of your damage, even if you thought insurance might come good, they advised you apply anyway, just in case, with what little info you DID have and fill in the blanks later when that info became available. Then if insurance did come good, you could always withdraw your application later.
I know not everyone gets the paper. I know not everyone checks out Channel 12. I know not everyone goes to the library or is on social media or is a client of a social service agency or went to Out of the Storm. I know some people were not aware of the deadline for applications to the ODRAP fund and agree that that sucks. The last thing I want to do is get into a debate here. All I am saying, as a resident who DID lose her home, and who DID NOT access the fund, and agrees that there were flaws in what did and not qualify as “worthy” to receive assistance for, is that the deadline itself for applying was at the time made very, very very public in many many ways.

By: terra rayner

terra rayner — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 11:29:50 +0000

Well first of all the deadlines are ridiculous. Why? Because not everyone knew there was a deadline…did you go door to door? Wait impossible because so many are not in their homes. The disaster fund provided by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing was matching donations so since my math tells me there will be 2 million left. I think logically the families that have been missed should get it….I know of at least five and counting. Care to comment, Mr. Jewell?