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
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.