Ottawa pledges $520M for Jasper wildfire recovery

Ottawa is injecting $520 million into Jasper's recovery nearly two years after a fast-moving wildfire ravaged the town and surrounding national park in late July 2024.

Federal Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the funding Tuesday during a special visit to Jasper. Combined with the $385 million already spent, federal support now totals close to $1 billion for post-wildfire efforts.

The money will go toward rebuilding critical infrastructure, providing interim housing for residents and staff, and improving fire prevention. An estimated 750 people are currently living in temporary housing trailers; the new funding should keep those units in use through March 2028.

The July 2024 fire forced more than 20,000 residents and visitors to flee on short notice. When it was declared under control a month later, 350 buildings had been destroyed, including 820 housing units. The Insurance Bureau of Canada pegged the damage at $1.3 billion, making 2024 Canada's most destructive year on record for insured losses from wildfires, floods and hailstorms.

For Jasper's business owners, the funding is critical. "There's a lot of business owners who need staff housing," said Lisa Darrah, owner of Jasper's Rockaboo Mountain Adventures, whose office was severely damaged. "Without the housing, we'd be in trouble." The town's visitor economy is recovering—businesses are reporting busier seasons—but they need housing to retain workers.

Mayor Richard Ireland emphasized the longer timeline ahead. "Recovery takes time. Rebuilding homes and businesses takes time. Reviving our visitor economy takes time," he said, noting that the sound of construction equipment in the background was "the sound of progress."