Latest news with #CanadianRedCross
CBC
2 days ago
- General
- CBC
The Canadian Red Cross supports Musgrave Harbour evacuees in Gander
Residents fleeing the Musgrave Harbour wildfire accessed Canadian Red Cross services at the Steele Memorial Centre in Gander, on July 20. The province issued an evacuation order after an out-of-control wildfire neared the town. The Canadian Red Cross asked that all evacuees register by calling 1-709-729-0921, even if they aren't availing of services at the Centre
CBC
3 days ago
- Climate
- CBC
Musgrave Harbour residents ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The town of Musgrave Harbour has been ordered to evacuate due to a wildfire only 2 kilometers away from the community. The order also includes Banting Memorial Park Campground, close ot the town. The province issued a public advisory around 9:40 a.m. stating that a reception centre for evacuees has been set up in Gander at the Steele Memorial Centre on 155 Airport Boulevard. The Canadian Red Cross will also be there to assist. The province says busing transportation to Gander will be available for residents. The province says that wildfire suppression resources are in place and that three water bombers and helicopter working the wildfire. Crews are currently monitoring the fire, which is located southwest of the town, near Pine Pond. Water bombers and a helicopter will be working on the fire today. Meanwhile, Musgrave Harbour's town council has declared a state of emergency, according to a letter released on social media. The letter states that the council has determined that the wildfire poses a serious safety risk to residents and property within the town. They are asking that all people located within the town of Musgrave Harbour to evacuate immediately. Meanwhile the air quality warning on the Bonavista peninsula due to the fire near Chance Harbour has been lifted. As of Saturday, that fire had grown to over 1,660 hectares and was still considered out of control. Provincial Fire Duty Officer Wesley Morgan says the wind has been helping keep the fire away from the nearby towns of Jamestown and Winter Brook. However it is still very much considered an active fire.
Cision Canada
7 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
Determined to Work Together for Jasper: Parks Canada and Partners Bolster Safe and Swift Return Home Français
New financial support will enable remediation efforts and help Jasper residents return home safely and swiftly. JASPER, AB, July 16, 2025 /CNW/ - One year after the Jasper Wildfire forced residents from their homes, Parks Canada, the Municipality of Jasper, the Canadian Red Cross, and Prairies Economic Development Canada continue to work as partners in the recovery and rebuild of Jasper, with a shared focus on quickly returning residents to safe and permanent homes. Today, Parks Canada and the Canadian Red Cross jointly announced up to $5 million in additional support for Jasper residents. This will be intended for Jasperites who require contaminated soil testing and removal prior to rebuilding permanent housing. This new funding will ensure a swift, safe and dignified path forward for those most impacted. New financial assistance, administered by the Canadian Red Cross, will provide support to residents for uninsured costs related to soil remediation and testing that will ensure the long-term health of residents. The Government of Canada, through Parks Canada and other federal partners, has invested more than $180 million in rebuilding Jasper, and the work continues. Together, we have: expedited reconstruction efforts through streamlined processes to make rebuilding as efficient as possible; secured interim housing for 300 Jasper families to allow them to return to the community as soon as possible; coordinated debris removal on 100 per cent of affected lots; and welcomed a number of residents back to permanent housing. With debris removal complete and development permits issued through a streamlined process, the focus has now shifted to soil remediation and ensuring the future health of residents. Parks Canada is continuing to work closely with homeowners to provide clear and timely information, practical solutions, and flexibility throughout this phase. A coordinated plan to guide expedited soil remediation efforts and support residents will be shared very soon. We remain focussed on quickly getting building permits for residents who lost their homes and businesses so that they can move forward with their lives. Together, these efforts reflect a shared commitment to helping Jasper rebuild stronger and faster, with the well-being of residents at the heart of every decision. Quotes "The residents of Jasper have shown remarkable strength during this difficult time. Their resilience and solidarity remind us that, together, we're not just rebuilding homes, but restoring hope. We are here to support them every step of the way to rebuild the town quickly and safely so that Jasperites can move towards building a stronger future." The Honourable Steven Guilbeault Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages " Our new government continues to work with its partners to ensure residents can return to their permanent homes in a safe and timely manner. As Canada's first-ever Minister for Community Resilience, I'm proud to be part of a government that's committed to helping communities like Jasper recover and thrive." The Honourable Eleanor Olszewski Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada. "On behalf of so many of our residents, I extend sincere gratitude to Parks Canada, the Government of Canada, and the Canadian Red Cross for their continued commitment and support. Their thoughtful, coordinated approach to easing the financial and emotional burden of this difficult time has made a meaningful difference in the lives of those rebuilding. This support is helping our community move forward — together." Richard Ireland Mayor of Jasper "The Canadian Red Cross commends Parks Canada for providing financial support that addresses soil remediation which has been an ongoing barrier for rebuilding homes in Jasper. The Canadian Red Cross continues to work alongside community and government partners to support recovery in Jasper and will be there to address ongoing and evolving needs in the weeks and months to come." Conrad Sauvé President and CEO, Canadian Red Cross Quick Facts In September 2024, the Government of Canada introduces legislation (Bill C-76) to enable the transfer of land use planning and development authorities from Parks Canada to the Municipality of Jasper. This has facilitated land use planning and development in the long term. In the short term, Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper are working together to streamline and adjust Parks Canada's existing processes. Parks Canada supported all necessary processes for accelerating rebuild of Jasper in concrete ways, such as updated land use policies, expedited approvals for variances, reduced parking requirements, facilitated subdivision processes, simplified development application process, and reduced up front compliance deposit costs. Parks Canada made 4.25 hectares of land available for interim housing and secured over 300 interim housing units for Jasper residents. Initial occupancy started February 26, 2025. Currently, 500 individuals are occupying interim housing in Jasper. The Canadian Red Cross provides interim lodging management services for Jasper residents placed in units as part of the interim housing program. As part of their interim lodging management role, the Canadian Red Cross support tenant relations, managing leases, utility management and coordinating maintenance for sites.
Global News
7 days ago
- Climate
- Global News
Days of wet weather may end in some parts of Manitoba fighting fires
Thousands of Manitobans remain out of their home communities due to wildfires. With recent cooler weather — accompanied by rain in some areas — there was no word of additional evacuations as of Tuesday afternoon. But the 13,000 residents of Thompson were still being told to be ready to evacuate if necessary as the forecast called for drier weather and strong winds. The Canadian Red Cross was already housing evacuees in Winnipeg. It also had cots at the ready in a cavernous room inside the RBC Convention Centre in the city's downtown should more evacuees arrive. The building can house thousands of evacuees and officials say it has additional space for support services. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'The building is large enough to be able to host a number of community partners … and also provide culturally safe spaces for elders to do ceremonies,' said Melanie Soler, the group's vice-president of emergency management. Story continues below advertisement Manitoba is experiencing its worst wildfire season in 30 years, and more than 10,000 square kilometres has burned. Fires remained out of control near evacuated communities such as Lynn Lake, Marcel Colomb First Nation, Garden Hill First Nation and Leaf Rapids. Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday convened a meeting of the incident response group, made up of cabinet ministers and senior officials, to discuss the wildfire situation in Manitoba and elsewhere in the country. 'The group discussed the federal government's support to Manitoba, including the Canadian Armed Forces' airlift evacuations of over 1,500 residents of Garden Hill First Nation,' the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. It said Carney and federal officials are in close contact with their provincial counterparts and that co-ordination with First Nations leaders is ongoing.
CBC
7 days ago
- CBC
1 in 10 Manitoba wildfire evacuees waiting in shelters as some Winnipeg hotels say rooms sitting empty
Social Sharing About one in 10 of all Manitoba wildfire evacuees remain in group shelters, sleeping on cots, as they await a move into more comfortable hotel room accommodations — even as some Winnipeg hoteliers say they have spaces sitting vacant. Approximately 1,100 of the 12,000 Manitoba evacuees currently forced from their communities were staying in congregate shelters as of Tuesday, including at the University of Winnipeg RecPlex, because they have nowhere else to go for now. That's despite some hotels in the city saying they have available hotel rooms that just haven't been booked yet amid the second provincial state of emergency declared since the end of May. "Although I have these 20 rooms available, they don't seem to be taking those 20 rooms," said Robby Sankar, general manager of the Viscount Gort Hotel on Portage Avenue. The Viscount Gort hosted more than 100 evacuees during the first wave of wildfire evacuations this spring. Sankar said although the Canadian Red Cross checks in with his hotel regularly to keep tabs on capacity, it has yet to reserve any spaces there for the most recent exodus of people from northern Manitoba. "We've had to stop taking some of our regular business, so we are keeping those rooms open for them, but we haven't had any call-backs to take anymore," Sankar told CBC News on Tuesday. Andrew Pomierny, a general manager with Four Crowns Inn on McPhillips Street, said it made 10 rooms available to evacuees during the first wildfire evacuation wave. They're making more available again now. "Even if we have to keep them open without putting anybody in there, knowing there's going to be a wave, that's our way of contributing to the help effort," Pomierny said. He said the Manitoba government contacts the hotel on a frequent basis to get capacity updates, but their rooms are still empty and unbooked for evacuees. "I have not received any requests yet as of last weekend," Pomierny said in an interview Tuesday. Of the roughly 12,000 current evacuees, more than 6,000 have already been put up in hotels in Manitoba, with another 1,300 staying in Ontario hotels, according to the provincial government. That's not including the 3,600 evacuees staying with friends and family, or the 1,100 staying in congregate shelters. Manitoba Hotel Association president Michael Juce told CBC News on Tuesday the organization is in constant contact with hotel managers in Winnipeg and have been sharing updates and resources with them. He said there are 7,600 hotel rooms in Winnipeg, though at any given time a number of those aren't accessible due to renovations, repairs and maintenance. Rooms are being prioritized for evacuees with accessibility concerns and other unique needs, say the province and Red Cross, which are co-ordinating emergency placements for evacuees alongside and leadership of Indigenous communities impacted by wildfires. Hotels say rooms sitting empty as Manitoba evacuees wait in shelter 5 minutes ago As people forced from their homes by fires in Manitoba look for accommodations in hotels, rather than shelters, some hotels say they have space, but the rooms aren't being booked. Space for other evacuees will be provided as it's available, the province and Red Cross said in statements to CBC News. "The province works to secure large blocks of hotel rooms over extended stay periods to minimize disruption and limit the number of moves an evacuee needs to make while out of their community," reads the statement from the province. "The province continues to re-evaluate hotel availability, and is working with the Manitoba Hotel Association and other hotels to support the evacuation response." The Red Cross is also working with Indigenous leaders on the operation of congregate shelters for those unable to stay with loved ones immediately upon evacuation. That includes some of the 4,000 people that Premier Wab Kinew said last week were expected to evacuate from a single fire-threatened community: Garden Hill Anisininew Nation. Some are now staying at the U of W RecPlex. Pomierny said Four Crowns Inn is ready to take in more evacuees if and when the province books rooms. "Even if it means for us to stay and wait with the rooms for a little bit, it's important to be ready when those people need help," he said.
