Widowed mother of 6 marking 1 year in Canada from hotel after fire

Fatma Elahmeddoesn't have any plans for Thursday, which will mark one year since her family came to Canada as Syrian refugees via Turkey.

She just wants to have a home again.

Elahmed, 29, is the single mother of six kids ages two to 13.

Soon after arriving in Ottawa, her 39-year-old husbandAlaa Sabandied unexpectedly.

Now Elahmed and her kids are living in their second hotel roomin as many weeks.Their third-floor apartment remains off-limits after a fatal fire allegedly started by a 42-year-old Ottawa man earlier this month.

"We need to feel home," Elahmed said in Arabic last Fridayfrom the family's first hotel roomas her case worker interpreted.

"I'm fearful [of]the unknown."

Apartment still off-limits

The family buried Saban at the Ottawa Muslim Cemetery on Sept. 15, 2023 four months after they came to the city as government-assisted refugees.

Saban died of a heart attack, according to Elahmed.

Looking now at the pictures of the entire familyexploring Parliament Hill reminds her of how happy they were.

They'd come to the country seeing "home stability" and a "good future for the kids," Elahmed said throughYousra Gilmore, a case worker with the Catholic Centre for Immigrants in Ottawa (CCI).

The May 2 fire at the east end ofDonald Street inone of two highrises known as Capital Towers that are home to several newcomerfamilies has only further complicated Elahmed's life.

The alarm, which forced the family to fleeoutside only for some of her children to briefly get separated, sent her into a panic. Itremindedher of experience during the major February 2023 earthquake in Turkey, she said.

She left her Donald Street apartmentwithout her phone and identification. The family spent its first nights in an emergency shelter before settling into its first hotelthough the lack of ID, and Elahmedonly having cash, initially made their admittance challenging.

Money from Elahmed's tenant insurance plan and fromImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is helping covercosts, but a lot of itisgoing to her hotel bills and she can't afford two roomsdespite the family's size, Gilmore said.

While she was able to visit her smoke- and water-damaged unit to recover her ID and other essentials,it's unclear when the family will be able to return home.

According to a statement fromConundrumCapitalan associate of the company that manages the property for owner Enterprise Residential REITa number of people have been able to get back insideafter police opened it up and made an arrest.

Tenants on the third floor must still wait because of the significant damage there, according to the company's statement on Saturday. Elahmed described the state of her apartment as "hopeless."

"Our top priority is to help people return to their apartments quickly and safely, which is why we have hired three [expert]companies to assist us with the restoration work," the company stated.

A hero to case worker

Elahmed's family has received a lot of help, including clothing and local gift cards from a nearbyschool and the offer of a car from another local Syrian family.

But as the lone parent tosix kids, Elahmed is worried about her future beyond her return home.

She iseager to learn English but the wait-list is long, she said.

As she transitions from IRCC to Ontario Works, she's afraid the financial support she receives will not stretch as far.

Despite thosechallenges, Elahmed is a hero to her case worker Gilmore.

"I hope the future inspires her kids to do better and use this challenging time as motivation to keep going," Gilmoresaid.