'We lost our lives back there in Jasper': Non-essential evacuees waiting to get temporary housing approval

More than a month has passed since wildfires tore through the Town of Jasper and many evacuees are still waiting to return to the community. With emergency support ending as of Tuesday, the province is finding temporary solutions for its residents.

Iarema Pokotskyi, a Jasper evacuee, told CTV News Edmonton on Wednesday that his employer hopes to have the local law firm up and running by the end of the month, but Pokotskyi still won't have a place to call home.

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"We filled out that housing survey from the Jasper municipality, but they prioritize essential workers," said Pokotskyi. "Me and my wife, we are not falling into that category."

Essential workers including public safety, education, healthcare, infrastructure and essential government services are the ones being approved for temporary housing in hotels.

According to Pokotskyi, the Red Cross approved another week for his temporary housing but said he had to move locations and became confused by their process.

"It took two days of uncertainty until I got a final answer from them," he said. "It looks like there's a lot of miscommunication between the Government of Alberta and the Red Cross."

CTV News Edmonton reached out to Ric McIver, the minister of municipal affairs, regarding assessing the needs of residents and the process to get temporary housing.

"Nobody should doubt that there will be a hiccup or two along the way where something gets missed and we'll have to scramble and look after somebody that might have fallen through the cracks unintentionally," McIver added.

According to McIver, around 900 people were initially accommodated with 300 of them being approved for an extension on their temporary housing situation.

"We're looking at getting the facts from people," said McIver. "We have people doing interviews with people and families, figuring out the fine details and then connecting the need to what's available, even though the need is probably changing day by day."

Pokotskyi said he finds it difficult "not being able to create plans for the future" but has faith in the Alberta Government and Red Cross.

"We lost our lives back there in Jasper … I do believe there will be some light at the end of the tunnel at some point," he said.

"We can't wait to go back and just continue from where we left off."

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Chelan Skulski.