Jasper calls on province to help seniors displaced by wildfire

The Pine Grove Senior Citizens Manor was among the 358 structures incinerated when a massive wildfire breached the Jasper townsite last July. Now, Jasper is advocating for the province rebuild the building with more units and a new seniors centre. 

Jasper council put forward a motion on Tuesday to reach out to the province to secure further accommodations for Pine Grove residents who still have not been able to come back to Jasper because of lack of housing. 

"As the demographics of Jasper and the country are aging. The baby boomer generation is all entering into their senior years. This is very critical," Coun. Kathleen Waxer, who voted in favour of the motion, told council. 

"Loneliness and isolation is one of the most worrisome and one of the most damaging aspects of aging." 

Mayor Richard Ireland's motion will have him write a letter on behalf of council, requesting that the province include additional living units for seniors and including a seniors' centre space in the plans for the rebuild of Pine Grove Manor. 

That motion passed unanimously. 

"We encourage the provincial government to add more living units for seniors, as well as the senior centre. Our entire community will be strengthened [and] see the benefit from that," Ireland said. 

After the wildfire, up to 33 residents were temporarily living in a hotel in Hinton, east of Jasper National Park.  Some have also been staying in Edmonton and Wetaskiwin. 

Seniors who lived in the lodge were told they face a two- to three-year wait for their home to be rebuilt. 

The Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services told CBC in a statement that the province is dedicating $18 million for interim housing in Hinton for Pine Grove Manor residents while the facility is rebuilt in Jasper.

Funding includes $4 million for 2024-25 and $14 million in 2025-26.

"We are currently focused on planning for the rebuild and determining what the new facility will look like, with $2 million in funding from budget 2025," said ministry press secretary Ashley Stevenson. 

"We plan to engage with the seniors and the community to ensure the new facility meets residents needs, including looking at increasing the Manor's capacity and whether designs could include additional social spaces."