Province announces relief grants for Nova Scotians who lost income due to wildfires

The Nova Scotia government is offering short-termrelief grants for residents who lost income due to the recent wildfires in Shelburne County and Halifax Regional Municipality.

TheEmergency Relief Grant for Individuals will provide either $275 or $550 per week, depending on the extent of the impact, the provincial governmentannounced on Thursday.

To be eligible, residents must either live or work in one of the areas that was undermandatory evacuation orders during the wildfires, or must have experienced a business disruption due tofires. Those who are self-employed and are unable to operate their business, either permanently or temporarily, may qualify as well.

Employed and self-employed residents who aren't receiving employment insurance or who are in an employment insurance waiting period may be also eligible, as well asvolunteer firefighters who could not access paid voluntary leave from their employers.

New grant follows other wildfire aid

The emergencyrelief grant is one of multiple aid programs the province has launched in the wake of the recent wildfires.

Last month, Premier Tim Houston announced that households in evacuated areas across the province were able to apply for a one-time grant of $500 to cover incidental expenses.

Financial assistance has also been extended to Nova Scotia farmers who were affected by the fires in the form of a one-time grant of $2,500.