Portage unites to support wildfire evacuees
City steps up with volunteers, supplies, and cultural care
Mari Kozar, executive director of the Portage Community Revitalization Corporation (PCRC), says the community of Portage la Prairie responded with remarkable generosity and speed as evacuees from northern Manitoba arrived due to wildfires.
“We had an excellent show from our community of support in many different ways,” Kozar says. “People donated supplies, donated time, and there was a really strong, coordinated effort for general support—not just for those in hotels, but also evacuees staying with family or friends around the city.”
The call for volunteers was met with overwhelming response.
“We had more people interested in volunteering than we even needed,” Kozar says. “Family resource centres scheduled volunteers to run youth activities, and they did an excellent job with daily and evening programming to keep kids busy.”
The Portage Friendship Centre helped create a safe space for children outside Canad Inns. Elwood MacDonald put up temporary fencing so children could play safely on-site. The Portage Clinic established a temporary field clinic directly at the hotel to provide essential care, with shuttle services helping guests from other hotels access the clinic.
“If someone had prescriptions from pharmacies that were closed in the north, local medical providers figured out how to get them transferred or rewritten,” Kozar adds. “Southern Health had public health and mental health teams on site, and it was an entire network of service providers working together.”
Dr. Finney reached out to the Portage Clinic to coordinate medical support and brought in medical students on field rotation to assist with care. PCC board member Dana Geisel also volunteered on-site at Canad Inns for two full weeks.
Critical donations meet urgent needs
The Salvation Army responded immediately when evacuees began arriving.
“They provided formula, snacks, diapers—anything they had on hand,” Kozar notes. “PCRC handled coordinating other essential supplies, like baby formula and specific diaper sizes. In emergencies like this, you can’t wait for formula to ship, especially when delays between Winnipeg and Portage happen.”
Individual community members stepped up with donations of clothing, household necessities, and items like strollers and toys. Craft supplies also came in, with Best West Pet Foods staff donating pet supplies personally—not just through the business—anticipating the needs of families with animals.
“We certainly did have pets in need, and it was amazing how people stepped in,” says Kozar.
Southern Chiefs Organization contributed by distributing supplies and organizing cultural support. An elder was brought in to conduct smudging ceremonies, and the Portage Friendship Centre provided drumming performances at all three hotels, which many evacuees appreciated deeply.
Screen Door donated all leftover clothing from their sidewalk sale, including jackets, pants, shorts, and T-shirts.
“They came right to Canad Inns with the clothing racks and set up the racks and all the clothes on hangers, which was a huge help to us,” Kozar says. “Everyone was very thankful for that.”
Related stories:
- Portage la Prairie Mayor proud to see City stepping up to support wildfire evacuees
- Evacuees find relief in Portage as community mobilizes support
The Manitoba Métis Federation also played a role. Due to wildfire-related cancellations of National Indigenous Peoples Day events in Winnipeg, they redirected catering orders to communities housing evacuees, distributing food with help from volunteers.
Volunteers fill the gaps
Volunteers helped in the PCRC’s supply room and offered support at meal times when operations were stretched. Although Canad Inns handled all meal service across the hotel sites, volunteer support ensured smoother delivery and service.
Churches across the city participated, with Prairie Alliance Church noted as especially supportive. Several Portage Collegiate Institute classes also reached out to volunteer with youth programming.
The Salvation Army helped coordinate meal volunteers, and the Bear Clan Patrol supported the overall operation by conducting walkthroughs of hotel grounds, assisting with general safety and cleanliness.
“The day-to-day pivoting and the huge amount of everything going on was amazing to see,” Kozar adds. “Everyone was doing their best and just changing as we needed, which you have to do in a situation like this.”
Kozar says the team learned lessons that will help in future emergencies. But more importantly, she emphasizes that the evacuees’ safety and care were never compromised thanks to collective community action.
“We're happy that people are going back to their home communities,” Kozar continues. “Being displaced can be really stressful and strain resources, but we’re also happy that people had positive experiences in our community.”
Kozar adds, "Lions Club also received an emergency grant and supplied snacks! Department of Families was there for the duration of efforts coordinating the site, City of Portage la Prairie supported, too. Highway Community Kitchen, and Prairie Gospel. Treherne Elementary School made cards for the evacuees and donated items."
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