Some Manitoba wildfire evacuees say they're still waiting for promised financial help

CBC News

· Posted: Jun 07, 2025 5:05 PM EDT | Last Updated: June 7

Financial assistance has been promised to assistance residents fleeing from wildfires successful Manitoba, but immoderate evacuees accidental determination person been issues with the rollout, and they're stuck waiting for the wealth to commencement flowing. 

On Thursday, the state said evacuees are eligible for the regular stipend if they are a imperishable nonmigratory of Manitoba, person a superior residence successful a community under a mandatory evacuation bid issued connected oregon aft May 23, and are registered arsenic an evacuee with the Canadian Red Cross.

The fiscal payment — $34 regular for each idiosyncratic property 13 or older and $27 for those 12 and nether — volition beryllium distributed done the Red Cross and Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, the state says.

A spokesperson told CBC News connected Thursday evacuees would commencement receiving the archetypal outgo wrong 3 to 5 days, which would screen up to the archetypal 2 weeks' worthy of support, with aboriginal payments based connected the duration of the evacuation orders.

The state says the funds will beryllium issued via e-transfer oregon a prepaid card.

But Peter Thibodeau, a wildfire evacuee from Cranberry Portage, said the Red Cross has already told him helium volition request to question to an evacuation centre successful Winnipeg to prime up the stipend.

Thibodeau was forced retired of his location successful Cranberry Portage, astir 600 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, past Saturday aft wildfires knocked down powerfulness and choked the aerial with dense smoke. He evacuated to Peguis First Nation, northbound of Winnipeg, where he's been staying astatine his son's home.

However, helium has nary wealth to screen his ain nutrient oregon get state for his vehicle, helium said.

Thibodeau registered with the Red Cross past Sunday and said he's phoned them astatine slightest 9 times successful the past week to get much accusation astir the fiscal support, but helium hasn't been capable to get overmuch information.

"I'm waiting for different manager to telephone me, and that's, like, 2 days agone now," helium said Saturday. "Every idiosyncratic [has] a antithetic message."

He says helium was archetypal told the stipend would beryllium sent via e-transfer, but past different idiosyncratic told him he needed to get it successful Winnipeg.

"I don't privation to spell to Winnipeg for nothing," helium said. "What if I get determination and I get nary money?"

The fiscal assistance — amounting to $238 per week for big evacuees — is crucial, Thibodeau said. 

'They are not helping'

Thibodeau said the problems underscore a deficiency of preparedness to woody with the existent exigency successful Manitoba.

"It's similar you gotta beg for a small spot of help. I consciousness similar giving up," Thibodeau said. 

Meanwhile, Linda Smith and Tom Allen, who person had to determination 4 times successful caller weeks, besides accidental they haven't had any financial assistance from the Red Cross yet.  

"They are not helping," Smith said.  

The couple, who are from Flin Flon, were staying astatine a camper successful Snow Lake until the municipality was enactment nether a mandatory evacuation bid Friday amid increasing wildfires. 

The mates said Friday they planned to caput to The Pas. While the Red Cross is offering assistance successful larger centres like Winnipeg, Smith and Allen said they're hoping they can return location soon and don't privation to question that acold south.

"It has been hell," said Smith, who added the mates person applied for employment security benefits, "but we person to hold for 28 days."

The concern is "frustrating," said Smith.

Lori Osborne, who was forced retired of Pimicikamak Cree Nation with her 4 children, is besides waiting for financial help.

She lone recovered retired astir the stipend connected Friday via societal media, adjacent though she has been retired of her assemblage for much than a week.

The Red Cross has been helping with supplies for her children, similar diapers and wipes, but Osborne said she wishes there had been amended connection astir the stipend, which she present expects to get Sunday.

"There's each of this happening that I'm doing. I'm conscionable learning arsenic I go," she said. "I'm mislaid — sometimes I don't understand, but I'm trying to learn."

In a connection to CBC News connected Saturday, a spokesperson for the Red Cross said immoderate evacuees whitethorn request to verify their individuality successful idiosyncratic astatine a reception centre if the enactment is incapable to verify accusation provided during the registration process. 

The Red Cross said it is distributing fiscal assistance to radical evacuated from municipalities and non-First Nation communities, portion Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak is distributing fiscal assistance for First Nations evacuees.

Information astir however to registry with the Red Cross oregon however to entree fiscal assistance being provided connected behalf of the provincial authorities tin beryllium recovered connected the organization's website, the Red Cross said Saturday. 

Find the latest wildfire accusation astatine these sources:

• Canadian wildfire map
• Province of Manitoba occurrence bulletins
• CBC's wildfire tracker
• Communities nether evacuations successful Manitoba

Are you an evacuee who needs assistance? Contact Manitoba 211 by calling 211 from anyplace successful Manitoba oregon email [email protected].