Manitoba

All Manitoba kids in CFS care now out of hotels, province says

​Manitoba kids in the care of child and family services are now out of hotels across the province, seven months after Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross vowed to end the practise.

Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross vowed to get kids out of hotels in April following beating of young girl

​Manitoba kids in the care of child and family services are now out of hotels across the province, seven months after Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross vowed to end the practise. (CBC)

Manitoba kids in the care of child and family services are now out of hotels across the province, seven months after Minister Kerri Irvin-Ross vowed to end the practice.

In April, Irvin-Ross said the province would stop housing children in hotels after a 15-year-old girl was badly beaten and sexually assaulted in the downtown area.

Both the victim and the boy who was charged with assaulting her were in the care of CFS and staying in a nearby hotel when the attack happened.

Irvin-Ross said shortly afterward, all kids in CFS care in Winnipeg would be moved out of hotels by June 1.

After that, a deadline of Dec. 1 was imposed for kids in care outside of the city.

On Monday, provincial officials said that deadline had been met and there were no longer any children in CFS care in hotels.

According to officials, the province has added 55 emergency shelter beds and 114 emergency foster beds throughout Manitoba since April 1.

A total of 119 child protection workers have been hired in the past year, officials said.