Approximately 1,100 of 12,000 Manitoba wildfire evacuees remain in group shelters, despite some Winnipeg hotels having vacant rooms. Hoteliers report available spaces not being booked by the Canadian Red Cross or the provincial government, leading to concerns about coordination in the second provincial state of emergency since May.
1 in 10 Manitoba wildfire evacuees waiting in shelters as some Winnipeg hotels say rooms sitting empty
ManitobaWinnipegWildfiresEvacuations
AI Summary
TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️Approximately 1,100 of 12,000 Manitoba wildfire evacuees remain in group shelters, despite some Winnipeg hotels having vacant rooms. Hoteliers report available spaces not being booked by the Canadian Red Cross or the provincial government, leading to concerns about coordination in the second provincial state of emergency since May.
Trending- 1 End of May: Second provincial state of emergency declared due to wildfires.
- 2 This spring: First wave of wildfire evacuations, Viscount Gort Hotel hosted over 100 evacuees.
- 3 Last week: Premier Wab Kinew stated 4,000 people expected to evacuate from Garden Hill Anisininew Nation.
- 4 As of Tuesday (July 15): Approximately 1,100 of 12,000 Manitoba evacuees remain in group shelters.
- 5 As of Tuesday (July 15): Over 6,000 evacuees in Manitoba hotels, 1,300 in Ontario hotels, 3,600 with friends/family.
- Evacuees remaining in less comfortable group shelters
- Hotels losing potential business by holding rooms
- Coordination challenges in emergency response
What: About 1,100 of 12,000 Manitoba wildfire evacuees are still in group shelters, while some Winnipeg hotels have available rooms that are not being booked for them.
When: As of Tuesday (July 15, 2025), since the end of May, this spring, last weekend.
Where: Manitoba, Winnipeg, northern Manitoba, Ontario, Garden Hill Anisininew Nation.
Why: There appears to be a coordination issue between the Canadian Red Cross, the provincial government, and hotels in placing evacuees, despite available capacity. Rooms are being prioritized for those with accessibility concerns and unique needs.
How: Evacuees are staying in congregate shelters like the University of Winnipeg RecPlex. Hotels like Viscount Gort Hotel and Four Crowns Inn have offered rooms, but they haven't been booked for the current wave of evacuees.