Source: Government of Canada regional news (2)
Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring Jasper residents, businesses and not-for-profits are supported as the community recovers from last summer’s wildfire. Since the beginning of the wildfire, more than $170 million has been provided from across the provincial government to support Jasper residents and businesses as the community recovers and rebuilds.
The donation-matching initiative with the Canadian Red Cross is just one part of the Alberta government’s commitment to help Jasper and its residents recover. To support Jasper’s recovery, the province has provided more than $12 million through a donation-matching initiative with the Canadian Red Cross into the Canadian Red Cross’s 2024 Alberta Wildfires Appeal to support the families and residents most affected by the wildfires.
“Alberta has worked tirelessly with the Canadian Red Cross to help Jasper and Jasperites recover from last year’s wildfire. Initiatives we have collaborated on, such as the small business supports program, have already provided support to over 270 Jasper businesses by using more than $12 million in matching funds from the Government of Alberta. We continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the people of Jasper as they, and their municipality, recover.
Through the Canadian Red Cross’s 2024 Alberta Wildfires Appeal, every $1 donation made was matched with a $1 donation from Alberta’s government over the span of 30 days. The contribution from the province through this donation-matching initiative has helped fundraise more than $40 million to provide affected families, residents, businesses and not-for-profits of Jasper with a variety of supports. These supports include financial assistance, navigation supports and the small business supports program.
The province’s total assistance package of more than $170 million during and after the wildfire includes:
- Up to $149 million in Disaster Recovery Program funding.
- $7.5 million in emergency evacuation payments to more than 6,500 Jasperites.
- More than $12 million in matching funds to support the Canadian Red Cross in providing support to residents and business owners in Jasper.
- $18 million in funding to rebuild a seniors lodge for displaced senior residents of the Pine Grove Manor.
- $2.5 million in tourism support.
- $121,400 in food, financial and operating support to the Jasper Food Bank.
In addition to the assistance already provided, Alberta’s government remains ready to build $112 million worth of homes for displaced Jasperites, but the province cannot do that without land. If the federal government decides to step up and make land available, the province is ready to build the homes. Work with partners will continue to ensure that Jasper families and residents continue to have access to the supports and services they need during the community’s recovery.