Jasper applies for $73M through Alberta's Disaster Recovery Program

A cyclist takes in a heavily damaged neighbourhood as some residents return to Jasper, Alberta on Monday August 19, 2024. Wildfire caused evacuations and widespread damage in the National Park and Jasper townsite. (Amber Bracken / The Canadian Press)

The Municipality of Jasper has submitted an application for $73.14 million in expenditures to the provincial Disaster Recovery Program (DPR).

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Council authorized the director of recovery, Michael Fark, to make expenditures within the approved amounts during its Tuesday (Oct. 1) meeting.

“This will enable timely and flexible responses to emerging recovery needs without the delays associated with seeking council approval for every expenditure,” administration stated in its report.

CAO Bill Given told council the Emergency Advisory Committee had made this recommendation while approving the DPR submission. The directory of recovery previously had more flexibility to spend when Jasper was under a state of local emergency, but it was lifted on Sept. 15.

Activities covered under the submission include $22.7 million in evacuation costs, $10.2 million for structural protection, $4.09 million for waste management and $23.3 million for uninsurable infrastructure damage.

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There would also be $12.5 million for recovery costs that include the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre, rebuild development planning and contract firefighters.

The Alberta government, which previously pledged up to $149 million for Jasper’s recovery, will cover 90 per cent of the cost, but the municipality is expected to contribute 10 per cent. Administration has told council this contribution should be a subject of advocacy to the provincial and federal governments.

Coun. Scott Wilson asked why the uninsurable infrastructure damage item required $20 million for buildings, with the remaining $3 million for other expenses.

Given said the $20 million was a contingency specifically related to any responsibility that the municipality or the incident team may have related to insurable loss on private properties in the commercial area.

“It is a holding amount to recognize that there may be claims made against the municipality of actions we took or did not take, and we wanted to ensure that that is recognized as we go forward,” Given said.

Coun. Wendy Hall asked for clarification about the $22.7 million in evacuation costs. Given said these costs were related to the housing and meals for evacuees in Grande Prairie, Edmonton and Calgary.

Administration submitted a preliminary application in early August but recently submitted a more detailed one. According to Given, the provincial government has so far approved the initial application of $47 million.

Council also directed administration bring forward updates to the municipality's fiscal controls and financial reporting policy to provide differential spending authority for the director of recovery.

“Obviously, his area is going to move very differently from the rest of the municipal operation, and his expenditures are going to be directly linked to the DRP application in a way that the rest of the organization’s expenditures won't be,” Given said.

Coun. Helen Kelleher-Empey asked how often council would get a report back on financial events.

Given replied that this was a reasonable expectation and would discuss with staff what a reporting timeline would look like. He suggested it would likely be quarterly.