By Abdul Jabbar | Running Post
Alberta’s promise of $112 million to rebuild Jasper’s housing after a devastating wildfire is now at risk as the province, Parks Canada, and the local government engage in a standoff over conflicting visions for the town’s post-wildfire recovery. The funding, originally intended to build 250 permanent homes, remains unused.
The provincial government demands that the funds be used solely for the construction of single-detached, single-family homes. However, the Jasper officials contend that multi-unit housing is critical to solving the chronic housing shortage in the town. With more than 600 families displaced, this disagreement has resulted in an impasse.
“If we don’t have a project that meets the criteria, this money can’t be spent,” stated Jason Nixon, Alberta’s Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services, at a press briefing Tuesday.
According to Jasper officials, under the provincial plan, only 60 of the projected 250 homes could be constructed on the tight confines of the park boundaries given the land limitation. The town is proposing to phase: temporary housing should begin immediately and work toward planning a high-density, permanent structure within the next couple of years.
According to Michael Fark, Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre director, interim housing is key to the town’s recovery. But servicing those units would cost anywhere from $5 million to $7 million-an expense the town can’t cover on its own.
“The municipality doesn’t have the means to do that. We need all levels of government to help us find some kind of solutions,” Fark said.
Fark said the town is between a rock and a hard place: house fewer families comfortably or accommodate more people in less ideal temporary units. “We understand this is a trade-off and far from perfect,” he said.
Despite the stalemate, Alberta has committed hundreds of millions toward Jasper’s broader recovery, including rebuilding senior housing and temporary facilities in Hinton. Nixon refused to answer whether the $112 million housing fund would be reallocated if the impasse continues.
Mayor of Jasper, Richard Ireland, made a point that interim housing was urgent, at a news conference, saying, “It’s important for the well-being of our residents, businesses, and the future of our mountain community.”
The complication is that Jasper cannot expand the town boundaries because of restrictions placed by national parks. A change in the boundaries would involve parliamentary approval, so access to new land is a long process. Parks Canada has offered to collaborate with local and provincial governments to better meet the town’s needs of its housing, providing available land both within and outside town limits.
But a Parks Canada spokesperson cautioned that boundary changes alone would not solve housing needs now. “The provision of infrastructure outside of the town boundaries takes substantial time to materialize,” the statement said.
With a near-zero vacancy rate even prior to the fire, Jasper had an existing shortage, and current crisis makes urgent need for collaborative efforts. Until then, though, the $112 million funds earmarked and the fate of recovery of Jasper also remains in doubt.
Read More News:
Beef Industry Braces for Fallout Amid Trump Tariff Threats
Hamilton’s New Outdoor Shelter: A Community-Centered Approach to Homelessness