Where's the storm help this time? Fox asks premier

The province should be doing more for Islanders who havebeen affected by this week's stormy weather, says P.E.I.'s Official Opposition.

PC Leader Jamie Fox pressed Premier Wade MacLauchlan on Wednesday on what help the province might offer homeowners who havebeen without power for days and who may have burst pipes,freezers full of spoiled food,or other problems.

The premier said that was an idea worth exploring, but when he didn't immediately pledge to provide the extra support, Fox reminded the premier about money provided to PEI's two cities after the storm-filled winter of 2015.

"Last winter one of the first acts of this premier was to give an extra $2 million to the cities of Summerside and Charlottetown for extraordinary winter storm costs. Rural communities got nothing."

Insurance policies first

MacLauchlan said conditions on P.E.I. haven't reached the threshold required to trigger emergency federal funding and that Islanders should look to their insurance policies first.

Fox suggested a new tax government is introducing on insurance premiums expected to generate about $1 million a year in revenue could go into a fund to help Islanders in need after events like the one this week.

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