Â鶹ӰÊÓ

Skip to main content

Fiona damage 'nowhere near as severe' after $40M cost of earlier storms, Parks Canada says

Share
OTTAWA -

The federal agency overseeing Canada's national parks says that $40 million in damage from two earlier Atlantic Canada storms far eclipsed costs incurred due to post-tropical storm Fiona.

Parks Canada says a wind and rainstorm in November 2021 caused $36 million worth of damage at Cape Breton Highlands National Park.

The agency says the storm hit hard and caused a "complete washout" of the Cabot Trail in one area, with a 15-km stretch of road requiring emergency repairs before it could reopen three weeks later.

A winter storm in February 2022 that required an emergency closure and a damaged kilometre-long stretch of the roadway cost another $4.5 million.

A statement from Parks Canada says officials expected Fiona to cause similar damage in September, but the impact was "nowhere near as severe" as the two other storms.

The agency gave the information to The Canadian Press in response to questions about an above-average $43-million writeoff that Parks Canada reported in the federal government's public accounts for the 2021-22 financial year.

A fire at a staff housing unit in Nunavut that was caused by an electrical issue resulted in infrastructure losses of $2.3 million, the statement says -- a price tag that "demonstrates the high cost of construction and housing in Nunavut." No one was hurt or displaced.

National parks also suffered some losses due to car accidents that caused damage to property, guardrails and signs, the agency says.

"Parks Canada is committed to maintaining visitor infrastructure -- such as roads, trails, visitor centres and campgrounds, as well as highways and bridges -- to ensure the quality and reliability of visitor facilities and continue to allow Canadians to connect with heritage places and nature," says the statement.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The British Columbia election campaign is set to officially start today, with Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin issuing the writ for the Oct. 19 vote.

A northern Ontario man is facing a $12,000 fine after illegally shooting a moose near the Batchawan River.

Unusual flippered feet are making their way into the Saint Lawrence River this weekend. Led by underwater explorer and filmmaker Nathalie Lasselin, volunteer divers are combing the riverbed near Beauharnois in Montérégie to remove hundreds of tires that have been polluting the aquatic environment for decades.

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

Local Spotlight

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.

It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.