The BC Hotel Association has partnered with the B.C. Government to launch a new portal to make it easier for evacuees to find hotel rooms in Kamloops, Kelowna, and Prince George.
It says the system – which will launch in June – will provide provincial emergency support staff with live information on room availability, so they don’t have to call individual hotels to find out.
“The Emergency Management Central Booking Portal provides Emergency Support Services with a much-needed tool to ensure evacuees can find safe and secure accommodation during crises,” BC Hotel Association President and CEO, Ingrid Jarrett, said.
“We have worked closely with accommodation providers, regional partners, and government to coordinate the implementation of the portal, and we are so proud of the collective efforts that went in to make this happen.”
Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma says large-scale evacuations in times of floods or fires can be challenging, noting the new system will help secure suitable accommodations for evacuees who need it, as soon as they need it.
“This tool will play an important role in helping Emergency Support Services responders secure suitable accommodations for evacuees who need it, as soon as they need it,” Ma said, in a statement.
Last year’s wildfire season saw tens of thousands of people forced to evacuate from their homes, particularly in the Kelowna and Shuswap area.
More to come