MONTREAL — An organization that collected more than $500,000 from Quebecers to help Haiti said Friday the money has been kept in a bank account for long-term projects and wasn't for emergency aid.

The money was raised during a telethon in September on a Montreal radio station after a tropical storm killed more than 1,500 people and left 200,000 homeless in Gonaives.

The fundraising team told a news conference it was always clear the money wasn't for immediate use and would be used for such things as tree planting because Haiti is suffering from deforestation.

Asma Heurtelou, head of l'Organisme d'entraide canado-haitien, said Quebecers shouldn't panic just because the money hasn't been spent.

"The money's still in the bank because when we did the fundraising we said that we're not going to use this money for direct emergencies," she said.

"We spoke with the mayor of Gonaives and he told us to go with the reforestation."

The money will be spent in 2005 when the reforestation projects get underway.

However, the organization has been criticized by some members of Montreal's Haitian community who have said Quebecers may have been under the impression the money was going to the country right away for emergency aid.

Quebecers have donated thousands of kilograms of food, clothes and medical supplies to Haiti, while the province's humanitarian aid to the country has topped more than $1 million.