The Village of Valemount is accusing the British Columbia government of “inaction” for failing to provide financial relief for businesses impacted by the 2024 Jasper wildfire.
Valemount Mayor Owen Torgerson described his experience lobbying his provincial government as “frustrating” and emphasized how dire the economic situation was for his community.
“We’ve seen closures, whether that’s temporary or permanent,” Torgerson said. “We’ve seen curtailment of hours. We’re hearing of layoffs, so it’s a mix [of situations]. The business community, regardless of what sector you’re in, has been impacted immensely.”
Last summer, the Jasper wildfire forced thousands to evacuate to Valemount and closed regional highways. To mitigate the indirect impacts of the wildfire on local businesses, the Village is now seeking $1.5 million in financial support from the B.C. government.
70 per cent of businesses indicated that without some form of government intervention, they may not be able to stay viable until a return to normal operations.
Last month, Torgerson went to Victoria with CAO Anne Yanciw, Simpcw First Nation Chief George Lampreau and members from consulting firm Strategies North to speak with provincial officials, but no funding has been committed at this time.
In a statement provided by the B.C. Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation, it noted that Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR) had historically not provided funding to support economic recovery following a disaster, but last November, EMCR approved Valemount’s expenditure authorization form for a community recovery manager.
“The Village of Valemount hired a consulting company to create an economic recovery strategy,” the ministry added. “In addition to this investment, the Province can support the Village of Valemount with accessing supports from existing provincial programs, resources and grants.”
Although the B.C. government has provided funding to Valemount for developing an economic plan, Torgerson argued the Village did not have the means to implement it.
“To me, it’s a waste of capital, and that’s probably capital that could have gone back into the community,” he said, adding how existing grant programs could not meet their immediate needs.
The Village is also working with the Alberta government to help repay some of the costs incurred from hosting evacuees last summer, but Torgerson emphasized these were still just talks. He added that all their scheduled meetings in Ottawa had been cancelled due to the calling of the election.
Torgerson argued his community’s situation would not be an isolated incident, given how natural disasters were becoming more frequent.
“I don’t think Valemount’s going to be a one-off in terms of when another community needs to evacuate and the other community takes them in,” he said. “From a community standpoint, from a kin relationship to Jasper, we would do it all over again. I know that the community would step up over and over, with or without those supports, but again, this shouldn’t even be a question.”
