The owner of one of Atlantic Canada’s biggest automotive dealership groups said his company has survived Hurricane Fiona with minimal damage. Patrick O’Regan told Canadian auto dealer his company’s business in Nova Scotia, which includes 17 dealerships and 21 franchises, was “mildly impacted with no considerable damages” to buildings or property. “Largely we’ve been fine,” said O’Regan.
He said the company made the decision to close its business on Saturday in advance of the storm that hit the province early that morning. The province reported that 415,000 customers were out of power, amounting to 80-90 percent of homes and businesses.
“Fiona was a very serious storm and has impacted all of Atlantic Canada in varying degrees, some much more profoundly than others,” said O’Regan. “Three of our businesses have still not seen power restored, but frankly people have been very resilient and we’re doing our best to help customers to either triage to other businesses that are open if they’ve got immediate needs for servicing and those sorts of things and for sales.”
O’Regan said he could think of six or seven hurricanes that landed with some force in and around Halifax and classified Hurricane Fiona as being in the top five. He said Hurricane Juan in 2003 caused more damage in Halifax.
A spokesperson for Steele Auto Group, which is Atlantic Canada’s largest auto group with 57 locations, declined to comment when contacted by Canadian auto dealer to ask about the storm. On its Facebook page, Steele Auto reported that all of its dealerships in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Corner Brook, Newfoundland would be closed on Saturday.
