Essex councillor brings idea of 'vulnerable person registry' to town hall
The Town of Essex may soon keep a list of vulnerable persons in the community who may require extra help, supports or check-ins.
Ward 2 Coun. Kim Verbeek brought a motion to council Monday asking administration to look into the logistics of putting that registry together.
“It would be a voluntary list for individuals in the community that live alone, that don’t have supports close by,” Verbeek explained. “This list would be put together so that these people could be checked in on in the case of any big weather event or extended power outage.”
Verbeek said the idea was kicked around as the municipality’s Climate Action Plan was put together in 2021 – but it’s something that could have come in handy last summer.
After a series of storms, residents across the county found themselves flooded out or stranded at home.
Residents like 90-year-old Antonio Vieira in Harrow for example, whose son George lives an hour away in Chatham-Kent.
“When that happens people will spend days and days by themselves,” he said.
Antonio was left without power in the summer heat for days following the flooding and refused to go stay with George.
"We had 90 degree [Fahrenheit] days and he had no hydro,” said George. “He would spend his nights in the garage to try to stay cool."
George said the vulnerable persons registry would offer him peace of mind knowing someone would be there to check on his dad and others like him.
"If we don't take care of them or watch over them as a community, then people will fall through the cracks,” he said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
VIA Rail service delayed for hours due to suspicious package investigation in Kingston, Ont.
VIA Rail service resumed in the Kingston, Ont. area late Saturday afternoon, after a suspicious package investigation halted train service for more than four hours over the Victoria Day long weekend.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
His SUV was stolen on Montreal's South Shore. Then he got a $156 parking ticket
A couple is frustrated after their SUV was stolen from Montreal's South Shore in March and they received a parking ticket for the same vehicle last week.
Banking mogul suing government after intelligence leaks leave him shut out of Canadian economy
Chinese Canadian banking mogul Shenglin Xian has launched a $300 million lawsuit against the federal government. It’s a means to find the source of intelligence leaks which Xian says has cost him his livelihood.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
Jesus is their saviour, Trump is their candidate. Ex-president's backers say he shares faith, values
As Donald Trump increasingly infuses his campaign with Christian trappings while coasting to a third Republican presidential nomination, his support is as strong as ever among evangelicals and other conservative Christians.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.