Aid from afar: Albertans looking to lend a hand to those impacted by Fiona
Blowers & Grafton restaurants provide a taste of home for Atlantic Canadians now in Alberta, but they're looking to do even more this week: help those impacted by post-tropical storm Fiona.
The five Halifax street food-inspired locations in Alberta will donate all proceeds from liquor sales Friday to the Canadian Red Cross, to aid in recovery and cleanup after the devastating storm.
"I think it's what we do as Canadians. When one of us falls down and one of us needs support or somewhere needs support, we all come together to help," said Josh Robinson, a Blowers & Grafton co-owner who grew up in Halifax.
"This is another case where there's a lot of people in a rough place right now."
There are two Calgary locations, two in Edmonton and one opening this week in Sherwood Park.
Robinson says many staff members who work at the restaurants have family and friends in Atlantic Canada and eastern Quebec and they've all been anxiously following the updates from back home.
"One of our team members has two different family members who lost their roofs in Cape Breton," Robinson said.
"I've heard plenty of horror stories of some pretty devastating damage and people being put out. It's not just personal and homes, it's also businesses and people's livelihoods that are going to be taken back now, too."
The Canadian Red Cross has members on the ground in the Maritimes and Newfoundland.
No one has been sent from Alberta yet, but members here are on standby, if that call comes.
"The Red Cross works in collaboration with municipal governments, with provincial governments and with Indigenous community leadership to make sure we're placing our funds in the best place, not duplicating effort, and where the area of greatest need is," said Jenn McManus, Canadian Red Cross vice-president for Alberta and the Northwest Territories.
People who want to donate to the Canadian Red Cross can do so online or by texting the word 'FIONA' to 20222.
"Albertans have been super generous to their fellow Canadians and to the Red Cross," McManus said.
The federal government will match all donations for Fiona relief made to the organization for the next month.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Here's where Canadians are living abroad: report
A recent report sheds light on Canadians living abroad--estimated at around four million people in 2016—and the public policies that impact them.
What is a 'halal mortgage'? Does it make housing more accessible?
The 2024 federal budget announced on April 16 included plans to introduce “halal mortgages” as a way to increase access to home ownership.
'We are declaring our readiness': No decision made yet as Poland declares it's ready to host nuclear weapons
Polish President Andrzej Duda says while no decision has been made around whether Poland will host nuclear weapons as part of an expansion of the NATO alliance’s nuclear sharing program, his country is willing and prepared to do so.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.
Invasive and toxic hammerhead worms make themselves at home in Ontario
Ontario is now home to an invasive and toxic worm species that can grow up to three feet long and can be dangerous to small animals and pets.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized after return to New York from upstate prison
Harvey Weinstein’s lawyer said Saturday that the onetime movie mogul has been hospitalized for a battery of tests after his return to New York City following an appeals court ruling nullifying his 2020 rape conviction.
Opinion I just don't get Taylor Swift
It's one thing to say you like Taylor Swift and her music, but don't blame CNN's AJ Willingham's when she says she just 'doesn't get' the global phenomenon.
Central Alberta queer groups react to request from Red Deer-South to reinstate Jennifer Johnson to UCP caucus
A number of LGBQT+2s groups in Central Alberta are pushing back against a request from the Red Deer South UCP constituency to reinstate MLA Jennifer Johnson into the UCP caucus.
Mookie Betts leads Dodgers past Blue Jays 4-2; Toronto drops fifth consecutive game
Mookie Betts went 3 for 5, including a triple and an RBI single, as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-2 on Saturday.