Community steps up as northeast Calgary grapples with financial aftermath of hail storm

Northeast Calgary residents and grassroots groupsare busy finding waysto helpthose in financial trouble more than a week after a devastating hailstorm left tens of thousands ofhomes and cars trashed.

Entire neighbourhoods saw homes stripped of their siding with othersleft covered in holes as huge hail and heavy rain battered the northeaston June 13, flooding streets and major roads including Deerfoot Trail,shatteringwindows, tearing uproofs and batteringeavestroughs.

Driving around some of the worst affected neighbourhoods like Taradale, the damage iseverywhere you look.

Many cars are write-offsand others have been left withextensive and expensive bodydamage to repair,along with smashedwindshields, rearwindowsand sunroofs.

Community steps up after hail storm

4 years ago

Duration 1:30

People are finding their own ways to support neighbours who are struggling.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi saidthe damage could be as much as $1 billion. The Insurance Bureau of Canada has reported 20,000 claims have been filed so far, including home, carand business claims. They expect even more.

But many residents weren't fully insured orface large deductibles at the same time as they'redealing with financial hardshipcaused by theCOVID-19 pandemic.

That's spurredsmall groups and individuals into action,finding different ways to help thosestrugglingthe most, through grassroots fundraising and good deeds.

"A lot of people started messagingme saying they have no insurance coverage and that they have to pay a lot of money to repair windshields," said Abid Khan, who runs a Facebook page connecting members of the Pakistani community.

"So we started a campaign and I was thrilled to see how people donated generously in just a few hours. We collected more than $4,500 in a few hours. I had to stop people sending me money," said Khan.

Khan teamed up with local businessman Moe Khawajaand Naeem Hassan, who ownsCentral Auto Repair Services, to organize free windshield repairs for those that can't afford them.

"This is the right thing to do at this point, this will go a long way and I believe in it. People have lost their jobs and even discontinued insurance," said Khawaja, who owns a Swiss Chalet restaurant inShawnessyand spends a lot of time in the northeast.

"My personal goal is to help 15 people replace windshields," saidKhawaja, who has covered a chunk of the costsinvolved.

"We are installing whatever they need at the minimum cost possible," said Hassan, owner of Central Auto Repair Services. Hassan saidthe cost of glass has risen since the storm, making repairs even more expensive.

"It's very hard for people when they've got no work to spend money on cars."

Khan saidthe provincial government needs to step up and take the storm damage more seriously.

"If you don't help these people now it will impact negatively. The politicians should take this very seriously and they can do a lot. We as individuals can just do a little," said Khan.

Others like Mohammad Farhan have been busy repairing broken windows and cleaning up homes, raising money for materials through his organization, House of Dreams, a small non-profit humanitarian group.

"Me and my neighbour got together, boughtsome wood andloaded up his truck. We went around talking to people and putting it up on their windows, trying to help clean up glass and remove water out of carpets and removing carpets,"saidFarhan, who has also been helping people with rides.

"Everyone needs help and we are getting to them," he said. "My mission is to help everyone."

Farhan said donations are onlybeing spent on materials and to coverthe cost of helping.

Another organization that helps newcomers, the Foundation For The Voice Of Immigrants In Canada For Empowerment (VOICE), isalso raising money to help those left facing the financial fallout of the storm.

"We have joined together, especially with our Bangladeshi community members,"said Khondoker Morshed, who speaks for the group.

"People do not have insurance or just thirdparty insurance. They do not have money, we're still going through the COVID situation," he said.

"It's not that they are cheap, they did not take the comprehensive insurance,they justcannot afford to. They have compromised withtheir insurance and now they are suffering. That's why $300 or $400 can be a big help."

Morshed saidthe provincial government needs to stand bythose impacted in the northeast and saidthe stormshould be classified as a natural disaster, given its scale,the damage caused and how it compares to previous weather events in Alberta where help was offered.

Local NDP MLA Irfan Sabir is alsocalling on the provincialgovernment to make disaster relief program money available to help people recover uninsured losses.

Sabir,MLA for Calgary-McCall,also wants UCP MLARajan Sawhney,who represents Calgary-North East, Calgary-North MLA,Muhammad Yaseenand Calgary-Falconridge MLA,Devinder Toor, to do more to pushfor provincial financial help.

"It's a disaster and there's a huge concern in the community that not all losses will be covered and they can't afford to pay for damages out of pocket," said Sabir in a Facebook video postedoverthe weekend.

Sabircomparedthe northeast hail storm to a recent flood in Fort McMurray, which caused $228 million in insured damages.He saidpeople in that city received the province's support, so the northeast, with its estimated$1 billion in damage, should as well.

The government of Alberta launched multiplefinancial support programs for peopleaffected by thespring floodsin Fort McMurray includinga one-time payment of $1,250 for adults and $500 for children,along witha portion of a $147million disaster relief program to help businesses and individuals facing uninsured damages after severalfloods in northern Alberta.

Premier Jason Kenney visited the area on Saturday but didn't mention the possibility of any financial aid.

The city hosteda specialeventfor anyone who suffered damage withquestions about what to do next at the Genesis Centrein Martindaleover the weekend.

Ward 5 Councillor George Chahal saiddiscussions willbe held in the coming weeks to determine how Calgary and city council shouldrespond to future storms.