Were you affected by floods or fires last year? B.C.'s ombudsperson would like to hear from you
British Columbia's ombudsperson is investigating how provincial government programs supported residents forced from their homes and communities during wildfires and floods last year.
A statement from the Office of the Ombudsperson says two programs are being examined to determine if they were administered fairly to those displaced for long periods.
Ombudsperson Jay Chalke says the probe will focus on the Emergency Support Services and Disaster Financial Assistance programs to identify any gaps in services when extreme weather events occur.
A questionnaire has been posted on the ombudsperson's website asking about awareness and timeliness of supports and services linked to the two programs under review.
The statement says responses to the questionnaire will be anonymous, although respondents will have the option of leaving contact information if they want to speak to someone about their experiences.
The questionnaire will be open to the public until Dec. 31.
The review is being launched because Chalke says wildfires, including the one in June that destroyed the village of Lytton, and torrential floods in November that swept away homes, devastated farmland and tore up huge chunks of southern B.C. highways, had “profound” effects on “both individual well-being and community cohesion.”
“Our investigation will seek to determine how the two government programs addressed any disproportionate impacts experienced by particular communities, including Indigenous communities,” Chalke says in the statement.
Details from the questionnaire could help the ombudsperson's office determine if it should recommend improvements so those programs can better serve displaced residents in future.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 6, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.