Province will cover housing, meals for residents of evacuated Winnipeg apartment block

Manitoba's government is ensuring residents ordered to evacuate a Winnipeg apartment complex earlier this month will have their housing and mealscovered.

The provincewill pick up the tab for the Birchwood Terrace residents who've been relying on supports from the Canadian Red Cross, which are set to expire on June 1.

Logan Oxenham, the MLA representing the roughly 250 tenants, announced the province would ensure the residents are assistedwhile they wait for permanent homes.

"Let me be clear: no one from BirchwoodTerrace will end up on the streets on June 1. Our government will ensure there is no interruption of services," he announced to the legislative chamber on Thursday.

"We'll be there to support folks through this weekend and beyond."

The City of Winnipeg ordered all tenants to evacuate the apartment block on May 9, afterserious deterioration found in multiple steel columns of the parkade put the entire building's stability into question.

Many residents have since remained in temporary housing, such as hotels, and been living with uncertainty without some of their belongings.

The province didn't provide a costestimate.