P.E.I. Greens, Liberals critical of government's response to Fiona

Prince Edward Island's Opposition Green Party and the Liberal Party say the provincial government is still not responding to gaps in its post-Fiona recovery efforts.

The Greens say the government should provide regularly scheduled checks of government-owned seniors buildings, give a refund of a minimum of one month's rent to seniors in public housing, and allow a one month deferral of provincial student loan payments similar to the deferral of other provincial loans.

Interim Liberal Leader Sonny Gallant is calling the provincial government's response to Fiona "heartbreaking" and "simply inadequate."

Gallant said there was poor communication, inequitable supports, little oversight of funds and overall a sheer lack of co-ordinated relief efforts.

"We need to help people a little more than what's being done," he said. 

"Everyone was struggling with the high costs of things before Fiona hit. It just kind of added more to it."

Gallant said he has been hearing concerns from Islanders following the storm. On Wednesday morning, for example, he said he spoke with a senior whose "stack was tore off his house."

"It cost $900 to repair it, but his insurance doesn't cover it because he has a $1,000 deductible."

Now Gallant is calling on the government to make the Wage Rebate for Impacted Workers program retroactive to Sept. 24 and provide $500 to all households that went without power for longer than five days. 

The Greens are also calling on the government to expand the wage subsidy to support those who lost pay because child-care centres were closed and for people working for off-Island employers.