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.
Get daily National news
Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at : Politics…