Ryan Reynolds is bringing attention to B.C.’s emergency situation through his social media channels.
The actor and his wife, actress Blake Lively, have made a donation to the Canadian Red Cross, and he’s asking others to do the same.
“My home Province of BC continues to face a crisis from the brutal #BCFloods,” he said on Facebook and Twitter on Friday morning. “Homes, farms, schools, roads and vulnerable communities. Rebuilding will take time.”
He included a link to the donation page for the Red Cross, and a photo from B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation showing the destroyed Jessica Bridge on the Coquihalla Highway.
On Thursday, Transportation Minister Rob Fleming said it could be another two months until the Coquihalla is repaired enough to open it for travel. They will be temporary repairs, and the timeline is dependent on weather.
Communities affected by the floods and landslides include Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope, Spences Bridge, Princeton, Boston Bar and Lytton. More heavy rain is expected in the coming days that could bring further flooding and landslides. Donations for the flooding through the Canadian Red Cross go to their ‘British Columbia Floods & Extreme Weather Appeal.’
“The Canadian Red Cross is working to get help to people in and around affected areas as quickly as possible and provide humanitarian assistance for new needs as they arise,” their page says. “Money raised will enable the Red Cross to carry out relief, recovery, resiliency and risk reduction activities in and beyond the region at the individual and community levels.”
Victims of the flooding can apply for assistance from the Canadian Red Cross.
Eligible households that were evacuated from their primary homes due to the flooding and extreme weather that occured from Nov. 14 to 16 will receive a one-time payment of $2,000. This amount includes $1,000 from the province and $1,000 from the Canadian Red Cross.
The first step to access this financial assistance is to register with the Canadian Red Cross by calling 1-800-863-6582, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. PST.
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