‘I’m homeless’: Jasper residents rally for housing as government negotiations stall

An Albertan who lost her home in the devastating Jasper wildfire last year says broken promises by the United Conservative Party government in setting up interim housing for those displaced are unacceptable.

“I don’t know why the UCP would commit and promise something and then just completely revoke it,” said Sabrina Charlebois, who has been living in a hotel in town since November.

“Because they’re not getting their way, they’re just pulling out completely? That’s unacceptable.”

Charlebois helped organize a protest Friday on the six-month anniversary of the blaze that displaced an estimated 2,000 Jasper residents.

More than 200 people marched through town, stopping in front of the municipal library.

Social Services Minister Jason Nixon announced in October that the province would spend $112 million to set up 250 modular housing units for residents who lost their homes.

At the time, Nixon said the first few homes would be ready by the end of January.

But Nixon said Wednesday the funding is off the table until the town agrees to build permanent, detached single-family homes. The province also wants the federal government to supply additional land by expanding Jasper’s boundary further into the surrounding national park.

Municipal officials have said the provincial plan would only allow for 60 homes to be built, as land-planning rules like parking and setbacks mean permanent homes would take up more space than temporary structures.

That plan just isn’t feasible, town officials said this week. More than 600 families are in need of temporary housing as the community rebuilds from the devastating fire.

Charlebois said the government’s plan would leave numerous families without temporary homes and make the town’s existing housing shortage worse.

“We need more affordable housing that families can live in and that service industry workers can actually afford and also to help with the summer staff,” she said.

Charlebois said her own housing situation is becoming more dire by the day. Insurance will only cover her hotel until April, but some families only have coverage for another month.

“We’re six months into this. Why am I having to organize a protest?” she said.

“Why do I have to fight for something that the government of Alberta committed on, and now they’re backtracking? Like, I’m homeless. We’re all homeless.”

NDP housing critic Janis Irwin, who attended Friday’s rally, called the government’s back-and-forth disrespectful.

“We know that this can be done, but we’re severely lacking will from this provincial government,” Irwin said.

She pointed to past 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 folks here, they’re wanting to fight with the federal government and with Parks Canada,” she 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 in place of the provincial housing plan.

In a statement, Nixon and Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver said Ottawa is to blame.

“Alberta’s government remains ready to build homes for displaced Jasperites, but we can’t do that without land,” the statement reads.

“If the federal government decides to step up and make land available, the province is ready to build the homes.”

Nixon and McIver also said the province was informed the federal government plans to start bringing in single-bedroom trailers.

“It is crucial that this work begins immediately, and our government will continue to advocate against any harmful federal policies that threaten to delay Jasper’s recovery and hold them accountable for their responsibilities to Albertans that call the federal park home.”

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