Woman raising 4 grandkids in a hotel says affordable rentals impossible for people struggling

Colleen McLaughlin never planned to raise her four young grandchildren, but when her daughter's health declined in January, the 53-year-old immediately took them in.

McLaughlin was living alone at the time, in a one-bedroom trailer, on Chippewas of the Thames First Nation. With four little ones moving in, McLaughlin said she had to find a different place to stay.

Since February, they've lived in about 12 different hotels in London, paid for by the reserve through Jordan's Principle funding, that can be used to get First Nation children access to public, social, health and educational services.

"It's been hard, especially with the two older ones wanting their own room and space. It's been very hard getting back and forth to school too because they go to school on Chippewas of the Thames," said McLaughlin. 

She said that if she could find an affordable apartment, she would, but it's almost impossible. 

"Rent is crazy for places anywhere. I've been looking, and either you need to have perfect credit or a lot of money. There's nothing for people that are struggling."

McLaughlin's daughter asked her to take care of her three older kids — ages 3, 11 and 12 — while she was pregnant and actively seeking treatment for addiction. However, she prematurely gave birth to her youngest daughter, also named Colleen, three months early in January.

The following month, the children's father died. McLaughlin said being away from their parents and constantly moving around are taking a grave toll on their well-being. 

"Baby Colleen never got to meet her dad, so it's more of an impact with the two older ones because they'd been with him longer. The three-year-old is just starting to realize dad's not around and why, so he's been wanting mom a lot," she said. 

"Being on the reserve, they're also closer to their family. My oldest grandson loves his fishing and hunting, which is part of his culture, but he can't get that living in the city."

Getting community support

McLaughlin said she has to pay for food expenses and hotel damage deposits out of pocket, and they can range upwards of $500. 

"This room right now has a stovetop but no oven so we can cook stuff in pots. The other places, we had microwaved food or takeout — and takeout can be pretty expensive for five of us," she said. 

McLaughlin has received support from community members who have given her food and clothes for the children, along with a Christmas tree and decorations, since they'll be spending baby Colleen's first Christmas in the hotel. 

She also started a GoFundMe to raise funds to add hydro and more rooms to her trailer so if the family goes back there, they'll have a more comfortable environment to live in, said McLaughlin. 

McLaughlin, who is on short-term disability for her own mental health, hopes to be back to work in March. She said her daughter is recovering well from both her addiction and the grief of losing her partner, and sees the kids every weekend to provide some consistency.