Wellington County residents who lost power during December’s ice storm have an extra day to apply for a provincial food card giveaway.
The food cards, funded by the province, retailers and various unions and associations, were first made available Tuesday in both Wellington County and Waterloo Region.
The program was slated to end Thursday in both areas – and did in Waterloo Region, where fewer than 25 people had applied for the cards as of Thursday afternoon – but has been extended an extra day in Wellington County.
“The province has indicated to us that cards not distributed by the end of the day Friday will be returned to them, in accordance with their agreement with the Red Cross,” Steve Beumer, the county’s director of Ontario Works, tells CTV News.
To be eligible for the cards, residents must have been without power for at least 48 hours, lost perishable food due to the storm and be in financial difficulty.
Wellington County was given about 1,200 cards, with a total value of $60,000, to distribute to its residents through a phone-in system.
As of Thursday, more than 250 families had applied for and been awarded cards.
“We think we’re getting to those who have the greatest financial need,” Beumer says.
While a total of $450,000 worth of cards were made available across southern Ontario this week, cards with a total value of $842,600 were distributed in Toronto before the province-wide program was announced.
Cambridge MPP Rob Leone, a Progressive Conservative, calls it “disappointing” that local residents had to wait longer for a provincial response.
“I think it’s politically motivated,” he says.
“The premier was out making sure that her voters in Toronto were going to get their cake first.”
Before 4 p.m. Friday, Wellington County residents can call 519-837-2670, ext. 4794 to apply for a food card.
