The RM of Gimli stepped up last week to offer the provincial government assistance with housing wildfire evacuees from northern Manitoba as the fires continue to burn massive swathes of land across the province.
The RM of Gimli’s mayor and council are encouraging residents to support the Red Cross’s fundraiser for wildfire evacuees
At a special meeting on June 4, Gimli council discussed how the municipality could provide relief in the humanitarian crisis, and mayor Kevin Chudd proactively reached out to provincial representatives to express Gimli’s willingness to help, said the RM’s community engagement manager Christine Payne.
The mayor said the RM is ready to provide services to evacuees if the province asks it for help. The RM has not yet been formally asked to serve as a host community, but it has laid the groundwork to respond quickly and effectively.
“We are ready to support when called upon,” said Chudd. “Our emergency measures officer has confirmed that if Gimli is selected, the Red Cross will mobilize the necessary resources. We are committed to doing our part.”
That assistance is laid out in an internal RM plan that hasn’t yet been shared with the public. It will only be activated if Gimli is officially designated as a evacuee centre and with notification to the public to become part of the effort, said Payne. The RM’s plan would complement provincial and Red Cross efforts.
The plan includes a welcome and information centre for evacuees, a community call for donations, free recreational activities such as the beach and the outdoor pool, reaching out to local organizations to see if they could provide free access to the museum, movie nights and cultural events, reaching out to local restaurants and shops to see if they could provide evacuees discounts, creative and cultural programming such as art classes, yoga and beach games, mental health and wellness services, pet support through local volunteers assisting with pets flown in by the Manitoba Animal Alliance, and free wifi and tech support at the recreation centre and the library.
To further prepare for the possibility of evacuees coming to Gimli, the RM’s interim CAO met with the municipality’s emergency management coordinator to ensure the RM is “aligned with provincial emergency management processes,” said Payne.
The provincial and federal governments announced June 4 they will each be offering matching funding to the Red Cross, which launched a wildfire fundraiser to provide both the evacuees and the communities sheltering them with funding support.
Gimli council has endorsed the Red Cross Wildfire Fundraiser, said Payne, and the RM is encouraging residents to donate and participate in local fundraising efforts.
“Mayor Chudd and Council are aware of the potential benefits to both evacuees and host communities. Council has endorsed the Red Cross Wildfire Fundraiser and is actively sharing it with the community to build engagement and support,” she said. “While Gimli has not yet been designated as a host community, the RM remains committed to helping when asked and is open to participating in provincial and federal support programs that benefit evacuees and local communities alike.”
Mayor Chudd said the RM’s internal plan is designed to assist external agencies involved with Manitoba’s wildfire situation.
“We applaud the agencies and individuals already helping evacuees,” said the mayor. “[The RM’s] plan is about being ready to extend that support in a coordinated way, should the province call on us.”
The RM owns a dormitory building which currently houses newcomers to the municipality and cadets who train on Lake Winnipeg. The building “may be considered as part of the response” pending coordination with provincial authorities, said Payne.
The RM’s call for community donations is listed on its website under notices.
A spokesperson for the provincial department of transportation and infrastructure confirmed that Gimli did contact the province with an offer to support evacuees if needed.
The town of Snow Lake was put under mandatory evacuation last Friday as winds pushed nearby wildfires towards the town and turned the sky orange, and thousands of people were evacuated the week before from Flin Flon, about 120 kilometres away, part of an area where the largest fire in the province burns.
