New Maryland-Sunbury MLA Jeff Carr says there’s growing anxiety among people in his riding who were displaced by flooding.
The Progressive Conservative member says many people in his riding are still homeless and have no idea if they’ll get upfront disaster financial assistance.
“Many of them are still in hotels, some are waiting for power hookups, some are on a two-week waiting for a hot water tank to get back in their homes,” says Carr. “There is some desperation right now and some concern.”
Carr says he and his colleagues have been trying to get information but have heard little from government other than by way of news releases.
The federal government will reimburse the province up to 90 per cent of eligible costs under the disaster financial assistance program.
But Carr says the prime minister should write a cheque now to speed up the process — and sort out the details later.
“I’m shocked and a little disappointed that he and the premier came to the Oromocto area long enough for a boat ride,” he says, “when they should have been there to tell people how they were going to help them to move forward and release some money for these folks that need it to get back on their feet.”
Carr says the main thing now is getting help to those who need it most, and there will be time later for a review to see how the government did in its response and how it can improve in the future.
