By Natalie Alcoba, National Post Evacuees given free hotel rooms after they were forced to flee 2 Secord Avenue complained today because they didn’t get free food too. “You can’t just throw people in hotels and not feed them,” said Jessica, the sister of one evacuee who complained displaced residents had to arrange to feed themselves and 40 other families who were at a Radisson hotel. About 100 families are in hotels across the city, after a hydro vault explosion under their high rise apartment building in East York. Officials say it may be weeks before people can return to live in their units. The city has promised to house the displaced families for however long is necessary. At a press conference today, Elaine Smyer, manager of emergency management, said residents have been provided food vouchers, along with taxi chits and TTC tickets to get around and, in some cases, relief cheques to buy groceries and other necessities. One family of three was issued a $562 cheque for two weeks. One man who spoke out at the afternoon press conference said the conditions at the hotel he and his pregnant wife were staying in were substandard. And Beverly Stevens, 50, said the city’s social services department refused to give her money because she had made it out of her apartment with her purse, and could access $3,000 in her bank. She is staying with her brother, but hopes to get into a hotel room soon. “I feel really tired and I feel really ...
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By Natalie Alcoba, National Post Evacuees given free hotel rooms after they were forced to flee 2 Secord Avenue complained today because they didn’t get free food too. “You can’t just throw people in hotels and not feed them,” said Jessica, the sister of one evacuee who complained displaced residents had to arrange to feed themselves and 40 other families who were at a Radisson hotel. About 100 families are in hotels across the city, after a hydro vault explosion under their high rise apartment building in East York. Officials say it may be weeks before people can return to live in their units. The city has promised to house the displaced families for however long is necessary. At a press conference today, Elaine Smyer, manager of emergency management, said residents have been provided food vouchers, along with taxi chits and TTC tickets to get around and, in some cases, relief cheques to buy groceries and other necessities. One family of three was issued a $562 cheque for two weeks. One man who spoke out at the afternoon press conference said the conditions at the hotel he and his pregnant wife were staying in were substandard. And Beverly Stevens, 50, said the city’s social services department refused to give her money because she had made it out of her apartment with her purse, and could access $3,000 in her bank. She is staying with her brother, but hopes to get into a hotel room soon. “I feel really tired and I feel really ...