THUNDER BAY — An organization that provides accommodations and services for people from remote communities accessing health care in Thunder Bay is continuing its grassroots fundraising for an expansion, while urging the federal government for support.
Wequedong Lodge held a fundraising barbecue on Wednesday afternoon outside its Balmoral Street location, as part of its effort to develop a $45-million add-on to its facility.
Wequedong Lodge executive director Donna Kroocmo said the organization's expansion plans have been in the works for two years, which has included the acquisition of a vacant lot property next to their building.
Kroocmo acknowledged the community fundraising events are a "drop in the bucket" for the cost of what's needed, but said it helps raise awareness while showing community support, and specifically expressed appreciation for Superior Foods and the help they provided for the barbecue and other fundraising initiatives.
"We're proving, hopefully, to the government and the city of Thunder Bay that we're fundraising and trying our best to do our part in raising the desperate funds we need," she said.
"We're in an actual crisis situation."
Wequedong Lodge currently operates a 110-bed facility, while also provides meals and transportation, serving about 400 people per day. To meet the demand, the organization has more than 100 rooms reserved every night at local hotels.
"We know we're the best solution for anybody coming into the city for medical reasons," Kroocmo said, adding the organization is able to provider a safer space, along with a culturally-sensitive approach, than hotels.
She said the lack of capacity has resulted in one occasion where an elderly person was forced to sleep on a common room sofa.
"We're ashamed of it, but there was nowhere to put someone. We have to expand," she said.
"These people deserve better."
Kroocmo described the organization's conversations with the federal government as "null and void."
"I don't know if the message isn't clear enough that we're in a crisis situation. I really don't know what the problem is, but we've had no response," she said. "We've been trying for a year-and-a-half now to get the attention of the government so they can give us a loan."
Kroocmo acknowledged that the 35 per cent of the total price tag that they're looking for is a huge ask, but said the federal government is otherwise left with the hotel costs.
"They're paying that huge fee of over $1 million per month to hotels in the city," she said. "If they were to help us expand, they would recover that money in a very short period of time.
"To me, it's an economically sound business decision that the federal government should make to help us do this expansion. It will save money in the long run."
Kroocmo said Wequedong Lodge will be holding its annual barbecue in September, and has issued an invitation to Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu.
