Overview
- Ombudsman Sharon Pratchler says evacuees were told to wait up to four days for assistance and some have resorted to sleeping in their cars
- The Saskatchewan government doubled wildfire relief payments on June 7 but evacuees say aid still does not cover costs incurred from the start of evacuations
- Both Saskatchewan and Manitoba have invoked states of emergency, and Manitoba’s government has urged tourists to reconsider visits to free up hotel rooms for displaced residents
- An estimated 10,000 to 15,000 people have fled wildfires in northern Saskatchewan, while over 21,000 in Manitoba have been evacuated, including entire communities like La Ronge and Flin Flon
- The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency added 14 staff this week to triage support requests, but evacuees continue to report gaps in matching assistance to urgent needs