An Albertan who lost his home in the devastating Jasper wildfire last year says the United Conservative Party government’s broken promises to establish temporary housing for the displaced are unacceptable.
“I don’t know why the UCP would commit and promise something and then completely revoke it,” said Sabrina Charlebois, who has been living in a hotel in the city since November.
“Because they’re not getting their way, they’re just completely withdrawing? That’s unacceptable.”
Charlebois helped organize a protest Friday on the six-month anniversary of the fire that displaced about 2,000 Jasper residents.
More than 200 people marched through the city, stopping in front of the Municipal Library.
Social Services Minister Jason Nixon announced in October that the province would spend $112 million to establish 250 modular housing units for residents who lost their homes. At the time, Nixon said the first homes would be ready by the end of January.
But Nixon said Wednesday that funding is off the table until the city agrees to build permanent, detached single-family homes. The province also wants the federal government to provide additional land by expanding Jasper’s boundaries further into the surrounding National Park.
City officials have said the provincial plan would only allow 60 homes to be built, as land planning rules such as parking and setbacks mean permanent homes would take up more space than temporary structures.
That plan simply isn’t feasible, city officials said this week. More than 600 families need temporary housing as the community rebuilds from the devastating fire.
Six months after the Jaspar wildfire, some displaced residents still do not have temporary housing promised by the Alberta government due to an impasse with Parks Canada.
Charlebois said the government’s plan would leave numerous families without temporary homes and worsen the city’s existing housing shortage.
“We need more affordable housing that families can live in and that service industry workers can afford and also to help with summer staff,” he said.
Charlebois said his own housing situation is becoming more dire by the day. Insurance will only cover your hotel until April, but some families only have coverage for another month.
“We are six months later. Why do I have to organize a protest?” she said.
“Why do I have to fight for something that the Alberta government committed, and now they’re backing down? Like, I’m homeless. We’re all homeless.”
edmonton am7:03Interim housing issue in Jasper explained
Hundreds of temporary housing units promised by the government are nowhere to be seen in Jasper more than six months after a wildfire destroyed a third of the city. CBC’s Acton Clarkin reports on Jasper’s recovery.
NDP housing critic Janis Irwin, who attended Friday’s rally, called it disrespectful from the government.
“We know this can be done, but we are sorely lacking the will of this provincial government,” Irwin said.
He pointed to previous governments that supplied mobile homes to Slave Lake and Fort McMurray within months, when those communities were hit by wildfires in 2011 and 2016, respectively.
“Instead of being willing to support the people here, they want to fight with the federal government and Parks Canada,” he said.
“That’s not the answer.”
The municipality and Parks Canada said earlier this week it was looking to secure work camp-style housing as well as duplexes instead of the provincial housing plan.
In a statement, Nixon and Municipal Affairs Minister Ric Mciver said Ottawa is to blame.
“The Alberta government remains ready to build homes for displaced Jasperites, but we cannot do it without land,” the statement said.
“If the federal government decides to step forward and make land available, the province is ready to build the houses.”
Nixon and Mciver also said the province was informed that the federal government plans to start bringing in single-bedroom trailers.
“It is crucial that this work begin immediately, and our government will continue to advocate for any harmful federal policies that threaten to delay Jasper’s recovery and hold them accountable to their responsibilities to the Albertans who call Federal Park home.”
