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The Government has made $7.5 million available to organisations providing social services to those affected by Saturday's earthquake in Canterbury.
Social Development Minister Paula Bennett said the Community Response Fund would provide one-off grants of $5000-$10000 to community-based social services in the region.
The Ministry hoped to make the fund available from Monday September 13.
Providers would need to show they were earthquake related and focusing on the well-being of the community in order to be eligible for grants, Ms Bennett said.
"Canterbury's community organisations are doing a great job in incredibly difficult circumstances. But they can only do so much with the resources they have", she said
"We want to ensure that these groups can continue to provide vital social services and cope with increased demand."
Ms Bennett said administration of the fund would be simplified to speed up the application process.
"We are cutting the red tape to get resources on the ground as quickly as possible."
Kaiapoi homes uninhabitable
Meanwhile, the Waimakiri District Council this afternoon announced that nearly 400 homes in Kaiapoi and Pines Beach/Kairaki were under restricted access or considered unsafe, after Saturday's earthquake and the subsequent aftershocks.
The Waimakariri District Council says a little under a quarter of the areas 1843 residential properties so far assessed.
Ninety-seven residential properties have been red stickered requiring residents to leave, while 274 have issues that are not considered serious enough to pose a health or safety issue
Fifty five commercial premises are also either under restrictions or unsafe.
Waimakariri Civil Defence Controller, David Ayers, says affected residents and business owners should have made contact or be making contact with the Earthquake Commission and their own insurance companies.
"Our initial assessments have only been to ensure the health and safety of residents in their homes. That status can change if we are able to remedy the issue - by providing water or sewage options, for example, such as portaloos," Mr Ayers said.
"Home owners whose properties have clearly suffered structural damage need now to begin the formal process for damage assessment. That must be done through the Earthquake Commission and their own insurance company.
"The Council's focus remains on repairing and restoring damaged infrastructure, including water mains, sewers, and roads in the earthquake affected areas."
Fifteen teams of building assessors including building inspectors and roading engineers from neighbouring councils remain in the community completing property assessments.
They are moving into the Kaiapoi Lakes area and surrounding communities today.
Up to 80 jobs to go at destroyed Supermarket
The Kaiapoi supermarket that will now be demolished after Sunday's earthquake was just weeks away from completion of a $6m refit.
More than 80 workers at the Kaiapoi New World were told yesterday that they will be losing their jobs.
Foodstuffs South Island chief executive Steve Anderson said store owners Andrew and Jacqui Palmer broke the news to 34 full time and 52 part time staff yesterday afternoon.
The supermarket has been closed since Saturday's earthquake.
Andrew Palmer told nzherald.co.nz that he was "completely devastated" that he wouldn't be able to re-open his store.
Palmer said there were "plenty of tears shed" when news of the job cuts were announced.
It was particularly hard to give, since the supermarket was just 12 weeks away from completion of a $6 million refit.
The supermarket is set to be demolished at a date to be determined. It would be rebuilt, but might take a year, said Steve Anderson.
Anderson said it was a distressing time for the staff and the owners and the company had pledged to do all it could to help.
"Everybody was just a mess," he said.
Anderson said staff would receive full pay for two months, which was significantly above what was in their contract, he said.
The company had also committed to finding them jobs within Foodstuffs if they wished to stay with the company, he said.
Progressive Enterprises has just announced it will try and accommodate as many staff as possible who have lost their jobs at the supermarket.
National Distribution Union general secretary Robert Reid said: "No doubt their own shop in Kaiapoi will be a lot busier now so they will need more staff," he said.
Reid said the union only had one member employed at Kaiapoi New World. The union praised the way Foodstuffs had handled the situation.
"This is the type of arrangement we are supportive of and hopefully it will be a model for other companies," he said.
Full time staff would each receive a $500 grocery voucher, while part-time staff would receive $250 from the Foodstuffs Community Trust.
Residents urged to keep boiling water
Boil water notices remain in force for a number of towns and areas in the Waimakariri district.
The Waimakariri District Council is urging residents in the following towns and areas to keep boiling water prior to drinking or other use including food preparation and brushing teeth.
Kaiapoi - all areas
Waikuku Beach
Pines Beach and Kairaki
Woodend town
Woodend Beach
The Council says it will notify the public when the water is safe to drink.
- with NZ Herald staff
