(Jasper) The City of Jasper estimates that last month’s wildfires destroyed $283 million worth of property, according to preliminary figures.
The city also reports that while 358 structures were destroyed, mostly businesses and homes, the total number of homes lost is about 800.
Those figures were presented to councilors by CEO Bill Given during a virtual meeting on Tuesday.
Mr. Given said those numbers will become even more daunting as reconstruction progresses, as the lost structures equate to a loss of $2.2 million in annual property tax revenue.
“This will represent a reduction in our financial capacity at a time when we need it most,” said Given, who added that the city will seek funding from the province and other jurisdictions to try to cover the deficit.
PHOTO AMBER BRACKEN, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
Schools in Jasper were spared from the flames, but suffered damage from smoke and soot.
During the meeting, council approved a number of motions regarding next steps to try to return to normal as Jasper’s 5,000 residents are allowed to return home starting Friday.
The motions approved included the suspension and deferral of property tax payments and collections for damaged and destroyed properties, as well as municipal utility charges for those same properties.
The council also passed a motion asking the administration to consider providing partial refunds on property taxes to residents whose homes or businesses were destroyed but who had paid their annual taxes in full before the fire.
“The overall goal is to ease the burden on residents,” Given said. “We’ll have a number of discussions about what the future looks like, but these are steps that the administration has identified as being able to take place immediately.”
PHOTO AMBER BRACKEN, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
The City of Jasper reports the total number of homes lost is approximately 800.
Regarding the loss of 800 homes, Mayor Richard Ireland urged residents to fill out a survey on the city’s website to gauge exactly how many people might use temporary housing upon their return.
“It’s critical that we continue to get the message out to residents that we need to hear from them,” Ireland said. “Whether you need housing or whether you have housing that may be available to other residents, that’s critical information that we want to know.”
Given said people who have been granted temporary housing through evacuation centres in Edmonton, Calgary and Grande Prairie, Alta., will continue to have access until “at least” Aug. 24.
A motion was also approved Tuesday for the city to hire a “director of recovery” who will work for the community throughout the rebuilding process. Given told council the position would have a two-year term that could be extended, if necessary.
“I think the need for personnel will be immense in the coming years, and probably [être] complicated by the fact that some employees will have lost their homes [et] “may not come back,” Councilor Wendy Hall said during the debate.
“It’s going to be a really steep learning curve for the municipality and the residents, and I think we need all the extra support we can get,” she continued.
PHOTO PARKS CANADA, VIA REUTERS
Mayor Richard Ireland said seeing “fire on the landscape” will be “part of the new normal” for Jasper residents once they return home.
In a presentation at the start of Tuesday’s meeting, Parks Canada Incident Commander Jonathan Large told council that residents returning to Jasper soon should still expect to see smoke from nearby wildfires.
“There’s still a lot of work to do,” Large said of the fire, which is still considered out of control.
Mr Ireland responded that seeing “fire in the landscape” will be “part of the new normal” for Jasper residents once they return home.
Preparing schools for the start of the school year
The Jasper, Alberta, public school district is racing to clean up and repair schools damaged by last month’s wildfires, in hopes of having them ready in time for the start of the school year.
The Alberta government said this week that the town’s two schools would not be ready by September, and that students would instead be sent to schools in nearby Hinton or Edson in the meantime.
But the Greater Yellowhead Public School Division, which operates Jasper schools, said Tuesday that its 447 Jasper students would only be transferred out of town as a last resort.
The schools were spared from the flames, but suffered damage from smoke and soot.
School district Superintendent Carolyn Lewis-Shillington said everything — including windows, floors, desks, walls, bathrooms and air ducts — needs to be deep cleaned. Fire alarms and ceiling tiles also need to be replaced. Refrigerators and fish tanks need to be removed. Silverware needs to be washed.
“We are trying to reopen our schools, but we have to have a backup plan,” Mr.me Lewis-Shillington, during an interview.
She stressed that schools in Edson, Hinton and other areas of the province have the resources to accommodate students if necessary.