A petition signed by nine community groups in northeast Calgary is asking the Alberta government to declare the recent hailstorm that hit the area a natural disaster – the declaration will allow the region to access disaster assistance funding.
The storm, which hit parts of Calgary on June 13, is estimated to have caused about $1 billion in damage. According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, about 20,000 claims have been filed to date related to the weather event, and many more claims are expected.
“What we need right now is financial assistance, that’s what we need and we’re not getting it,” said Khalil Karbani, who authored the petition letter.
Karbani told CBC News that his roof sustained $15,000 worth of damage due to hailstones, and two glass windowpanes were also smashed. However, his insurer notified him that his policy would only cover 20% of the damage after its deductible.
CBC News reported that the provincial government has yet to say whether it will declare the storm a disaster.
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney toured the affected areas over the weekend. Opposition Leader Rachel Notley also visited the disaster area prior to the premier.
