While Red Cross Funds Go Unaccounted For

By Alice Rose

I am an evacuee from the wildfires in Flin Flon, Manitoba, and I am writing this out of deep concern and frustration. I have witnessed firsthand a shocking level of mismanagement and a disturbing lack of transparency from the Canadian Red Cross and other government agencies.

Despite the fact that many Canadians—good people with good hearts—have donated their hard-earned money to the Red Cross, believing they are helping those of us displaced by the wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, that money is not reaching us. No one seems to know where these funds are going, but they are certainly not helping the evacuees on the ground.

It has now been three whole weeks—21 days—since we were forced to evacuate. Many evacuees have been paying out of pocket for hotel stays, food, and basic necessities they never expected to need. Some are draining their life savings just trying to survive. My husband and I are fortunate to have an RV to live in, but many others do not have that option.

There has been a huge donation drive for this wildfire response. I don’t know the exact number, but I’ve heard the amount raised is well over $40 million, with the government triple-matching public donations. However, the truth is that most evacuees have received little to no support.

Some evacuees in Manitoba, including my husband and me, did receive a payment from the Red Cross: $476 each. The Red Cross has stated on its own website that this payment is intended to cover two weeks of living expenses during evacuation. I would like to know: Who in Red Cross management believes that, in today’s economy, $476 could cover two weeks of hotel stays, meals, and basic supplies? When we called the Red Cross, we were told bluntly that this was a one-time payment—we should not expect any further assistance.

We are now entering our fourth week of evacuation, with no end in sight. Bureaucratic delays and endless government red tape around “deeming it safe” to return are leaving us stranded indefinitely.

In Saskatchewan, the situation is even more outrageous: I have heard reports that the Red Cross is refusing to assist non-First Nations evacuees, who are forced to apply through a separate agency, which so far has provided them with nothing. How can the Canadian Red Cross claim to serve all Canadians under these circumstances?

This lack of preparation is appalling. Canada has a long history of wildfire evacuations, yet our local officials were entirely unprepared. The Flin Flon city council’s handling of this disaster has been disastrous in its own right. There is no clear, sensible plan for returning people home. Many now believe that the council is deliberately extending the evacuation in order to maximize emergency funding, which, based on past behaviour, will likely be wasted on pet projects or personal perks rather than true public benefit.

I am calling on journalists, watchdogs, and public officials: Please investigate where this money is going. Canadians donated in good faith, and we are going broke while those donations sit unused. The Red Cross and government agencies must be held accountable. We need answers. And we need help now!