New Brunswick Ice Storm 2017

Note: This appeal is now closed. You can support our ongoing work by donating to the Canadian Red Cross.

Through the generous support of Canadians, as well as corporate donations, over $350,000 was raised to support this operation.

The Ice Storm

In late January of 2017, a pressure system along the Eastern seaboard brought snow, rain, freezing rain, and ice pellets to the entire province of New Brunswick. The massive storm brought down hundreds of utility poles, leaving more than 133,000 homes and businesses without electricity or heat in the dead of winter, in some cases for up to two weeks.

Red Cross Response

The Canadian Red Cross worked closely with the New Brunswick Department of Public Safety, municipalities and other partners to help those most impacted. The CRC deployed to hardest-hit areas vehicles, cots, blankets, generators and other supplies, and teams of trained disaster volunteers from throughout New Brunswick, augmented by others from neighboring Maritime provinces and Quebec.

More than 40 warming centres or shelters opened, with Red Cross teams managing shelters in hardest-hit communities such as Shippagan, Caraquet and Bas-Caraquet. The CRC provided cots, blankets and other supplies to many other shelters run by municipalities and other groups.

Nearly 100 Canadian Red Cross volunteers and 28 Red Cross staff were involved in the response, with about half of those coming from outside the Atlantic provinces.

The CRC registered more than 8,000 individuals, sheltered over 200 people in four Red Cross-operated shelters, and provided over 2,000 meals in shelters over the course of the response. Financial assistance was also provided to those affected based on need.

Road to Recovery

The Canadian Red Cross partnered with community organizations, specifically food banks, to help New Brunswick recover. This included assistance with replenishing food loss in the power outages and to help with increased demand in services as a direct result of the ice storm.

The Canadian Red Cross reminds all Canadians prepare for weather emergencies such as this one by having everything they need for at least 72 hours following a storm, flood or fire. This includes preparing an emergency kit for home and car, knowing what to do and how to stay safe during power outages.

Donor Reports

Last updated

January 2019