Some Peguis First Nation evacuees moving from Winnipeg to Brandon due to lack of hotel space

A shortage of hotel rooms in Winnipeg is prompting the Red Cross to move hundreds of Peguis First Nation flood evacueesto Brandon.

More than 1,900 people have been evacuated from the community because of flooding.

Most are in Winnipeg, but the Canadian Red Crossis losing 180 rooms in the city this week due to prior bookings, spokesperson Jason Small said.

The Red Cross has had to this before, and it was done in consultation with Peguis leadership, Small said.

He recognizes it's not ideal and that some evacuees are unhappy about being uprooted again, but Brandon has more hotel availability, he said.

"Part of the advantage to Brandon is we know that we have a lot of hotel rooms, that we have access to it there and it's consistent," he said.

The Red Cross is in discussion with Peguis leadership about keeping families together and about who should stay in Winnipeg, Small said.

There are Red Cross liaisons at each hotel where evacuees are staying with whom they can connect to discussany concerns, he said.

Peguis evacuees moving from Winnipeg to Brandon due to lack of hotel space

2 years ago

Duration 1:56

A shortage of hotel rooms in Winnipeg is prompting the Red Cross to move hundreds of Peguis First Nation flood evacuees to Brandon. Most are in Winnipeg, but the Canadian Red Cross is losing 180 rooms in the city this week due to prior bookings.