Capacity issues at Calgary hotels force relocation of N.W.T. evacuees 1 night before Yellowknife return

Some N.W.T. evacuees have had their stays at seven Calgary hotels cut short. 

Evacuees were told they had to leave by Tuesday, one day before they are allowed to return home. 

The city of Calgary has been providing hotel rooms for evacuees, but in a news release just past noon on Monday, the N.W.T. government says some evacuees may be relocated on Tuesday "due to hotel capacity constraints."

Ron Klein is an evacuee from Yellowknife who is staying at the Homewood Suites near the Calgary airport.

He says a note was slipped under his door Monday morning, informing him that he and his wife would need to check out on Tuesday by noon.

"We get kinda pushed around," he said, "we're refugees in our own country." 

He says they asked the front desk if they could extend their stay and were told most likely no, but would get confirmation on Tuesday. 

He said he was able to book two rooms at the nearby Hampton Suites in case they can't stay at Homewood. 

Klein has been staying at the hotel since Aug. 17. 

He said he is angry at the territorial government for not ensuring the current accommodations for evacuees would be available until the evacuation order lifts. 

Robert Tordiff, with the territory's Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs, says officials acted immediately when they found out the hotel rooms were no longer available. 

Tordiff says the territory found out that Calgary hotels were at capacity on Saturday evening, but residents weren't informed until Monday because the territory wanted to have solutions before informing them. 

Jay Boast, an information officer with the territory's Emergency Management Organization, says the shuffling of evacuees was a "wrinkle" on Monday but that they are grateful for Alberta for all of its assistance.

"What we have to appreciate as guests here in Alberta, the hotels here that people are staying in are private businesses that have their own needs and their own commitments and that's part of the situation that's here," he said. 

He said although it was a quick turnaround, they would be able to ensure that everyone had accommodations. 

Boast said it was not clear how many people will need to leave their hotels. 

Sarah Orchard, another evacuee who was asked to leave, says she hasn't been told where to go yet. 

"I think it's crazy, we're under enough stress already. Now we have to pack up and move, just to pack up all over again in a couple days, or whenever it is that we are being flown back up north. [It's] stressful not knowing anything and being told that no one knows yet. It's frustrating," she wrote CBC News over Facebook messenger. 

The Marriott and Westin are among several other hotels in the city that are housing evacuees who registered with the city of Calgary.

The territorial government says it will be working with the city of Calgary and other social support agencies to determine accommodations for all those affected. 

"Evacuees that have additional needs will be prioritized for hotel reassignment," the release says, adding if there are not enough hotels, "evacuees will continue to be supported through group lodging."

The release says there will be teams from the territorial government at the affected hotels on Sunday from noon until 3 p.m. to answer questions. 

The city of Calgary will be providing evacuees transportation to the new accommodations and the territorial government will be prioritizing repatriation flights from Calgary on Wednesday. 

On Friday, N.W.T. officials announced residents could return to Yellowknife on Sept. 6. 

Shortly after the city of Calgary issued a news release that said 

In a news release on Sept. 1, the city of Calgary stated the city is "committed to housing N.W.T. wildfire evacuees for as long as is required."