Insurance Bureau donates $5000 to flood relief - some gulps were heard when that news got out.

By Pepper Parr

October 7, 2014

BURLINGTON, ON.

The amounts donated to the Burlington Flood Relief fund increase each day. Small amounts get donated via the web site which is at; other amounts get a red carpet treatment.

Last week the Bank of Montreal donated $20,000. The presentation took place at a BMO branch with most of the branch managers in Burlington in attendance along with the federal and provincial political representatives on hand for the photo-op.

Insurance Bureau of Canada donates $5000 to the Flood Relief program. Mayor Burlington and Burlington Community Foundation president Collen Mulholland accept the donation from an Insurance Bureau representative.

Yesterday there was a $5000 donation from the Insurance Bureau of Canada – that amount gets you the Mayor and the President of the Burlington Community Foundation.

There are people who will gulp when they learn of the Insurance Bureau donation.
The grant programs the BCF is administering fall into two categories: a sum of up to $1000 for those who were in a desperate situation and needed some cash to cover immediate costs – motel accommodation for those that had to live in a motel.

The second program is for those who are un-insured or under insured.

One might ask – and many people have – why the public is being asked to support those who did not buy insurance. Are these people not responsible enough to by the insurance they need?
They are responsible – they are just not able to buy the insurance they would like. There are homes in this city that have been flooded up to four times – the insurance companies are just not giving them the coverage they would like to buy.

Mayor Goldring was flooded – the water rose above the main floor in his home. MP Mike Wallace was flooded – it took weeks to get the dumpster off his front lawn. They probably don’t expect to get flood insurance when their policy comes up for renewal. They both had insurance. Will their policies cover everything they lost. Fat chance of that happening.

Collen Mulholland, president of the BCF was flooded – she was talking in terms of $80,000 to cover the loss – that isn’t going to be covered by the policy that family has.

Premier Wynne has visited Burlington a number of times. Let’s let her know we need some help – soon would be nice.

These are not irresponsible people. They had insurance – they probably weren’t under insured. These three people will not be seeking financial support. Those that have filled in the forms seeking assistance are decent responsible people who have come up against the damage that nature can do.
Ron Foxcroft, the man who was asked to head up the fund raising drive, cannot buy flood insurance – few people can; it has gone the way of the dodo bird.

For those who have had to ask for help, and it wasn’t easy for any of them to fill in and sign those forms, some compassion would be nice just about now.

The province has yet to tell the BCF that it will add to what the community has already raised. Burlington’s MPP. Eleanor McMahon is doing what she can do to get the province to help.

We can give our MPP some help by emailing the premier directly and asking her to provide Burlington residents with the financial support they need. The community is doing it’s part.

The Premier, Hon Kathleen O. Wynne can be reached by email at:

kwynne.mpp@liberal.ola.org

We would like to track the people who choose to email the Premier.  If you BCC publisher@bgzt.ca we will be able to get a count of how many people ask the Premier to help out.  With that kind of information we can continually remind that Burlingtonians are asking for help.

You can write the Premier at: Queen’s Park, Room 281, Main Legislative Building, Toronto, ON M7A 1A1

The Premier won’t be picking up the phone should you call but they will take a message. 416-325-1941
Make a point of putting Help Burlington in the subject line of your email.