The City of Edmonton continues to accept evacuated residents of the City of Yellowknife due to wildfires. The Edmonton Emergency Reception Centre, which is operating 24 hours a day at the Edmonton EXPO Centre, provides temporary lodging, food, clothing, health care, mental health care, Indigenous support and animal care services for Yellowknife evacuees.

The City of Edmonton is supporting its regional partners with continued wildfire evacuation response. Starting August 23, evacuees who have registered with the City of St. Albert or the City of Leduc now have the option to also receive services and amenities from the City of Edmonton. 

If evacuees who have registered with St. Albert and Leduc would like to access services and amenities from the City of Edmonton, they must visit the Edmonton EXPO Centre in-person to register and receive a wristband. 

With a wristband, evacuees can access Edmonton Emergency Reception Centre services and amenities like food and use of City and partner recreation centres. Evacuees who have registered with St. Albert and Leduc will not be provided new accommodations, they will continue to stay at their current assigned hotels.

Many evacuees arrived in Edmonton without personal transportation. Starting August 23, evacuee wristbands that have been provided at the Edmonton EXPO Centre will be considered valid fare on all Edmonton Transit Service bus and LRT routes. Providing free transit to displaced evacuees is a compassionate and practical way to assist those in need during challenging times.

To support evacuees with dogs, a pop-up dog park with fenced runs and a walking track for leashed dogs will be made available outside of the Edmonton EXPO Centre. 

Registered evacuees can use the space from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. This pop-up park is not open to other users. Doggie bag dispensers are available onsite.

A total of 5,233 residents and 458 pets had been registered as of 9 a.m.Wednesday, August 23. 

The Edmonton Emergency Reception Centre is available only for residents of Yellowknife who have been displaced by the wildfires. Individuals who are evacuating from other communities are encouraged to visit their identified reception centre.

Residents of Northwest Territories should visit Northwest Territories wildfire evacuation Alberta for instructions on evacuations. Residents of British Columbia should visit EmergencyInfoBC for instructions on evacuations.

Registered wildfire evacuees with wristbands will receive free admission to all City of Edmonton recreation and leisure centres (find a recreation centre by selecting a quadrant and/or amenities) where they can shower and access recreation facilities. The wristbands will also provide free admission to the Edmonton Valley Zoo, Muttart Conservatory and John Janzen Nature Centre. 

Military personnel and their family members who are evacuated to the Edmonton Garrison can access free admission by advising they are evacuees and presenting military identification to staff upon arrival.

Community Supports 

All YMCA locations across Edmonton are offering free access to showers and recreation facilities to anyone evacuated. 

The Telus World of Science is offering free access to anyone evacuated.

Temporary library cards for evacuees to borrow physical and digital collections are available from the Edmonton Public Library (EPL). Evacuees can get a library card by registering in person at any of EPL’s 21 branches. A piece of ID will be required.

Donations of any kind are not being accepted at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. The Edmonton Emergency Reception Centre is not equipped to accept onsite donations. The City’s Emergency Support Response Team provides all the supplies immediately needed. 

Monetary donations can be made through the United Way, Red Cross and Goba Care.

Anyone wanting to donate pet food and pet supplies to evacuees is encouraged to drop these items at the Humane Society, 13620 163 Street NW, between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., seven days a week.

The Edmonton Emergency Reception Centre is fully staffed, and we do not require volunteers.

For the duration of the response, Hall C will not be open to the media as it is personal space for evacuees. 

Corporate Communications Manager

Strategic Services

City of Edmonton

587-988-5095