Alex Gervais death: B.C. government to review use of hotels for children in care

The B.C. government will review the use of hotels to house children in care, following the death of 18-year-old Alex Gervais, who fell to his death from a fourth floor hotel window in Abbotsford in September.

The review will be conducted jointly by the Ministry of Children and Family Development and its most vocal critic, the representative for children and youth Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond.

After Gervais's death, Turpel-Lafond said the ministry had "a lot to answer for," and demanded to know why the depressed First Nations youth was not in the care of a foster family or group home.

• Teen in B.C. provincial care dies in fall from hotel window
• At least 1 other child in B.C. care is living in a hotel
• No public inquiry says Premier Christy Clark

The review announced today will examine the historical and current use of hotels as placements for children in care, including the demographics of who gets placed there, according to a government release.

It will also examine the reasons why youth are placed in hotels, and the potential risks, as well as make recommendations about future practice.

Not policy to put kids in hotels

The B.C. government has already said that it's not government policy to place children in care in hotels, but it does happen at times.

"I want to support MCFD to reduce and eliminate the use of hotels as placements, even in emergency situations," said Turpel-Lafond in a joint release with the government.

Another review, specifically about Gervais's death, is already being conducted by the provincial director of child welfare. The government dismissed calls from Gervais's family for a public inquiry.

The review announced today will have access to ministry data, as well as its delegated aboriginal agencies, and will be released publicly before the end of the year.