Climate comfort centres play an essential role during extreme weather events, offering residents a place to shelter, check in with family and friends, charge devices, use the Internet and take care of business matters.
By providing a space where people can feel safe, supported and connected during times of upheaval and uncertainty, climate comfort centres help communities build resilience so they can recover more quickly once the crisis has passed.
Today, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA announced over $470,000 in non-repayable funding to help five communities and organizations in Central Prince Edward Island make upgrades to their climate comfort centres.
The support is being delivered through the Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund, a relief measure providing $300 million of targeted federal assistance toward long-term storm recovery and safeguarding efforts for regions impacted by Hurricane Fiona.
The Government of Prince Edward Island is also contributing over $220,000 toward three of the five projects through the Department of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culture Reception Centre Resiliency Fund.
These investments will help establish or improve climate comfort centres with upgrades to kitchen and washroom facilities, purchase and installation of generators, and modernization of communication equipment.
For more information about these projects, please see the backgrounder.
Today’s announcement further demonstrates the Government of Canada’s commitment to supporting communities and businesses impacted by Hurricane Fiona, and helping them build resilience against future climate-related disasters.
“Climate comfort centres help ensure that folks have a welcoming spot to weather the storm and a safe space in case of any emergency. The projects announced today will help communities impacted by Hurricane Fiona provide folks what they need, both during and after events – and make it easier for communities to recover and resume day to day life.”
- The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA
“Prince Edward Island’s community groups and volunteers played a critical role in supporting their neighbours in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona. Today’s announcement will ensure they are well resourced to deliver supplies and offer valuable support going forward.”
- Heath MacDonald, Member of Parliament for Malpeque
“It has been incredible to see the resilience and commitment of communities, businesses and organizations who are rebuilding post-Hurricane Fiona. The funding announced today is giving us the boost we need to complete our recovery efforts, and to build a more integrated network of support that will comfort our communities during extreme weather events in the future.”
- Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown
“During disasters and emergencies, community reception centres become critical hubs of activity where residents seek warmth, comfort, nourishment and information. This funding will help communities build up their infrastructure capacity to respond to the needs of their residents.”
- Honourable Cory Deagle, Minister of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport and Culture, Government of Prince Edward Island
Through the Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund announced October 4, 2022, the federal government is providing up to $300 million over two years, starting in 2022, to support local communities and businesses affected by the storm and to help long-term recovery efforts.
In September 2023, the Government of Canada announced that $9 million of the Fund would be allocated to improving the readiness of designated comfort centres in areas affected by Hurricane Fiona, for future climate-induced weather events.
The Hurricane Fiona Recovery Fund is a time-limited fund that will end on March 31, 2024.
