Madam Chairman, the money is an estimate. It is hard to estimate natural disasters. We do not know when they are coming or the degree of severity. Who would have predicted in advance the ice storm when it happened, the Saguenay or Red River floods, to provide those kinds of estimates? However if any of these funds for the disaster or financial assistance arrangements are not used they go back to the central treasury.
In the House of Commons on May 7th, 2002. See this statement in context.