After 11 years of bringing you local reporting, the team behind the Vancouver Observer has moved on to Canada's National Observer. You can follow Vancouver culture reporting over there from now on. Thank you for all your support over the years!

Riot fund set to compensate businesses damaged in the playoff chaos

Up to $7,000 each for uninsured damage -- but not for stolen merchandise.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

It may not cover all their riot losses, but it is money, and it coming soon.

A local fund has raised enough money to help businesses damaged during the Stanley Cup rioting last month, spokesmen say.

Canadian Press has the story:

VANCOUVER -- A municipal government fund designed to help businesses affected by last month's Stanley Cup riot in Vancouver expects to start issuing cheques around the end of the month, says the agency overseeing the program.

The Vancouver Economic Development Commission established its so-called restoration fund after rioters burned cars, smashed windows and looted stores following the Canucks' loss to the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup final on June 15.

The commission hopes to raise $150,000 through the Vancouver Board of Trade, Telus, VanCity credit union, a local tattoo parlour and a T-shirt shop, and spokesman Jeff McDonald said the agency is on target to meet that goal.

Businesses can apply for grants of up to $7,000 to cover damages not covered by insurance.

So far, the fund has received nine applications, but McDonald said he expects more to arrive soon. The agency estimated about 55 businesses were affected.

"When we established the rules for the fund, we established that a loss of merchandise would not be covered under the fund, it was really intended to be physical damage to property,'' McDonald said in an interview Monday.

McDonald said the agency expects to begin sending out cheques around the end of July.

A local business group has estimated the cost of the damages and looting during the riot could be as high as $5 million.

Vancouver police are leading an integrated investigation of the riot, sifting through thousands of photos and videos shot during the melee. Some charges have already been laid, and at least three dozen people have turned themselves in.

The riot is also the subject of an independent review headed by John Furlong, former head of the Vancouver Olympic committee, and Doug Keefe, a former deputy justice minister from Nova Scotia.

Furlong and Keefe were appointed last month to investigate what happened during the riot, whether the lessons from a similar riot in 1994 were put into practice, and how to avoid a repeat in the future. Their final report is due Aug. 31.

They have set up a website and are inviting submissions from the public until Aug. 12.

More in Canucks

Alex Burrows partners with RW&CO and shows off passion for fashion

Over 250 fans lined up outside of RW&CO yesterday to shake hands with Alex Burrows and discover what he's been up to during the NHL lockout.

Vancouver 2011 Stanley Cup riots: a retrospective

One year ago, the Vancouver riot tore the downtown core apart. Here's a retrospective of the stories from the day and its aftermath.

Roberto Luongo: to deal or not to deal

Picking up Luongo is like buying gold bars: he is the safest goaltending commodity on the market in years.
Speak up about this article on Facebook or Twitter. Do this by liking Vancouver Observer on Facebook or following us @Vanobserver on Twitter. We'd love to hear from you.