‘A lot of real hope’: Premier Smith shares stories of resilience from Jasper evacuees eager to rebuild
Posted August 6, 2024 11:12 am.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is praising the resilience of some Jasper residents who lost their homes or businesses in the destructive wildfire two weeks ago.
While she was visiting the command centre in Hinton on Monday, Smith said she met with families who were forced to evacuate the popular resort town.
In each case, the premier said she was surprised by their “good spirits.”
“One was a couple that run the local ice cream store. It’s very sad. They had a 1928 home that got burned down in a fire a few years ago. They had just rebuilt, and it got burned down again.”
Smith said the family was positive because they were “keen to rebuild.”
“But that’s a double tragedy they’ve faced in the last few years,” the premier acknowledged.
Smith said she also spoke to a young couple of three children – the mother’s on maternity leave and the father’s business is “still standing” – who lost their home.
“They do a lot of community work and arranging for various activities around town,” Smith said, again describing the family as being in good spirits.
“That’s the thing that I’ve noticed even in talking with business owners as well is there’s a real sense of ‘let’s get on with this, let’s get on with rebuilding,’” the premier described. “And I think there’s a lot of real hope, especially since the main infrastructure in the town is still standing. Most of the north of the of the town has been untouched.
“And so I think that with Parks Canada doing a great job of posting all of the structures that are still standing, I think that’s given people a lot of reason to believe that there’s a good base to start on for rebuilding.”
Roughly one-third of the structures in the town of Jasper were destroyed or damaged by the wildfire.
The Alberta government is asking Ottawa to consider providing federal funding under the Housing Accelerator Fund for Jasper evacuees who have lost their homes. Smith also wants the federal government to explore an emergency wage subsidy and the suspension of lease payments for businesses.
Smith said she opted not to join Jasper families on the first bus tours of the townsite Monday. “I just felt like giving families some time to process that would be the right approach to take,” she explained.
“But what we did do is make sure that mental-health workers were available and the 211 service was available, as it can be pretty emotional when somebody realizes that it’s not just their property that is gone, it’s all their life memories.”
More on Alberta wildfires
As of Monday evening, 563 people had registered for the Jasper bus tours, with 62 of those departing on Monday. The next tour is leaving Valemount, B.C., on Wednesday.
Residents aren’t allowed to get off the buses while in the town.
