Ottawa seeks temporary housing, services for Syrian refugees

OTTAWA • The Canadian government is preparing to lease temporary winterized lodgings for the thousands of Syrian refugees expected to arrive by the end of the year.

The government Thursday posted a request on a website highlighting new contracts for federal work. It is looking for “leasing and management of temporary winterized lodgings.”

“The Government of Canada is seeking interested companies that have the capacity, capability and availability to provide leasing, management and servicing of temporary winterized lodgings for groups of 500-3000 people by early December 2015 at sites to be confirmed,” the posting said.

“Lodging and services may be required for up to 3 months. Lodging and services must be self-contained/ sustaining (on-site energy, water, sewage, waste management, recycling).”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees by Dec. 31.

“We’re taking the necessary steps to ensure we’re getting ready for the Syrian refugees,” said Annie Trépanier, a spokeswoman for Judy Foote, the public services and procurement minister.

The government also requires a reception centre to welcome and provide information to the refugees. It would include clusters of housing units for individuals and large families, storage areas, showers and washrooms, and a health clinic that can deal with up to six people at a time.

Other services it is seeking include catering, housekeeping, laundry services, waste management, recycling, sewage processing/removal, Wi-Fi and/or a computer lab with Internet access and telephones.

Ottawa is to unveil its plan for the refugees soon. Government departments, provinces and municipalities have been gearing up to welcome them.

The Canadian Forces is looking at bases in Ontario and Quebec to house them. No specific bases have been selected yet as the military is still waiting for direction from government.

But the Canadian military is “currently planning on providing interim lodging at bases in Quebec and Ontario as a priority,” Department of National Defence spokesman Dan Le Bouthillier confirmed in an email. “Other bases and locations may be used if requested by government of Canada planners.”

Le Bouthillier denied claims by some military members at CFB Edmonton and CFB Valcartier that they are being told they have to move from their lodgings so refugees can be accommodated.

Some people who are in Valcartier and Edmonton on a temporary basis, such as for training, may be moved to another wing or put in rental accommodations to free up space for the refugees, he explained. No permanent residents of the bases are being moved, he said.

The Canadian Forces is looking at housing the refugees in barracks, cadet camps and training facilities not in use.