Mistakes, typos drove long lineups for Fiona money distributed by Red Cross in P.E.I.

Typos and small mistakes led to thousands of people on Prince Edward Island failing the Canadian Red Cross’s online authentication process to obtain money in the aftermath of post-tropical storm Fiona.

Emails obtained through access to information legislation show about 30 per cent of Islanders who applied for money failed the Red Cross’s authentication process, leading to long lineups and short tempers as people had to verify their identity in person.

A message to government officials on Oct. 14 by Red Cross spokesman Bill Lawlor says the 30 per cent authentication failure rate is on par with the agency’s other financial distribution efforts in the country.

As public frustration grew, the province’s Department of Social Development and Housing pitched in to help verify those who didn’t pass authentication.

One department official said in an Oct. 18 email that she was able to confirm the identity of nine failed applicants in a sample of 10, noting that some had simply entered an incorrect birth year or postal code number.

4:00 How Fiona forced a reckoning with climate change in Canada

Fiona slammed into Atlantic Canada on the morning of Sept. 24 and knocked out power for much of Prince Edward Island, leaving some in the dark for weeks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 5, 2023.