North Island Flood Relief

While several week have passed since torrential rains saturated their way through some of the North Island’s communities, Port Hardy and other outlying towns have only just begun the process of rebuilding and moving forward. The devouring floods that hit the region have personally impacted me as I’m proud to say that Port Hardy is where this girl’s story began.

For a normally pristine region that relies heavily on industry and tourism, these floods have also managed to wipe out vital aspects of Port Hardy’s economy. Some communities, in fact, have become completely isolated from the rest of the civilized world. The impact has been both severe and devastating.

Though the North Island District has done an incredible job in offering assistance and support to those affected, a great deal more work needs to be done. Infrastructure inspections and repairs are underway and financial assistance has been given to those in greatest need. Cash donations are also being received by the Salvation Army, while the Canadian Red Cross has diligently assembled and distributed Flood Recovery Kits.

Unfortunately, this assistance is only scratching the surface. If you’d like to assist the North Island’s flood victims, you can do so in the following ways:

• Canadian Red Cross Flood Recovery Kits require buckets, brooms, antiseptic cleanser, standard cleanser, gloves and garbage bags.
• Cash donations are gratefully accepted by the Salvation Army, located at 8635 Granville Street in Port Hardy.
• Victim assistance can be donated to the Mt. Waddington Salvation Army Lighthouse Resource Centre at 250-949-8125.

For a picturesque trip to this vibrant Vancouver Island region, please take a moment to view a YVR-produced clip on Port Hardy.

As an aside, the coastal BC community of Kingcome Inlet has perhaps felt the greatest impact of the flooding back in September. All residents are still waiting to return home and it may be another month before they are able to do so. If you’d like to donate funds to the disaster relief, you can visit any branch of the Royal Bank of Canada and contribute to the “Kingcome Inlet Flood Relief Trust for Dzawadaenux First Nation”. Click here for more details.

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