Six weeks after tornadoes ripped through the rural west-end village of Dunrobin, residents wonder where is their share of the $1.3 million dollars raised through the Canadian Red Cross.

“I’m still in financial crisis,” one Dunrobin resident told CTV News on Monday, “winter is coming and I just don’t know what to do.”

The man, who asked not to be identified, was renting a room in a home along Dunrobin Road it was destroyed by the tornado on September 21, 2018.   He had no insurance, and has lost all of his belongings.  His only option is to live with a friend nearly an hour away; he can’t afford the gas to get to work, and has since been laid off.  To date, the Red Cross has given him $800, he says it’s not enough.

“It’s like chicken feed. It’s not much of an income, people can’t live on $800.”

Chris Ruta’s home, off Porcupine Trail, was damaged, they are still waiting to move back in.  He says they applied for Red Cross funding immediately after the tornado, but were turned down because they have insurance.

“Insurance has been good, our contractors have been good but some the outside agencies are really dropping the ball.”

After weeks of pushing and a face to face meeting with a Red Cross representative, Ruta was given a $500 payment last week to “replace the contents” of their freezer and fridge.

“When we need people for the first few weeks they weren’t there and that’s the frustrating part.”

Jean-Pierre Taschereau is with the Canadian Red Cross.  He say to date $1.3 million dollars has been raised for Ottawa tornado victims.  So far, he says $134,000 has been dispersed to 103 households.  He says $41,000 of that has gone to uninsured victims, $91,000 to insured households. 

“Ultimately all the money raised will go to people affected,” Taschereau told CTV News, “we can appreciate the frustration and we can never be fast enough.”

Taschereau says out of the $1.3 million raised, $600,000 has been earmarked for long-term help down the road; the other $700,000 is for immediate emergency help to families.

Resident wonder why it’s taken more than six-weeks to see that “emergency aid”, Taschereau says “it’s finding the right balance between speed and making sure the right people are getting it (the money).”

Tornado victims still looking for financial assistance can register at 1.800.863.6582 or meet with a Red Cross representative at two reception areas:

·        West Carleton, City of Ottawa Facility, 56170 Carp Road in Kinburn

o   Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 2pm – 7:30pm

·        Arlington Woods, Woodvale Pentecostal Church, 205 Greenbank Road, Ottawa

o   Monday, Wednesday and Friday 2pm – 7:30pm