Why some Jasper residents may never move back
Many displaced residents still face housing uncertainty due to housing shortage
More than six months after the devastating wildfire ravaged Jasper, Alta., many residents are still struggling to return to their homes, facing a housing crisis magnified by the destruction.
While interim housing options are being built and some are now available, many displaced residents say they have yet to find a permanent solution. Some of those resident say they may never come back to the community they once called home.
Before the wildfire, Jasper had already faced a housing crunch. The community had about 5,000 year-round residents, with a zero per cent vacancy rate. The municipality said Jasper also hosts about 12,000 seasonal staff each year.
The fire, which destroyed a third of the townsite, has only made the situation worse.
More than 600 people have applied for interim housing so far, but the municipality said that represents only a fraction of those who have been affected by the fire.
Municipality of Jasper spokesperson Carolyn Holmes said the municipality has been conducting surveys with residents since the fire, but it is difficult to get a full picture of how many have been displaced.
Some people have either not applied for interim housing or have chosen to settle elsewhere permanently.
Nancy Addison lived in Jasper for 37 years. She was active in community work, especially in helping refugees. Her home the Cabin Creek neighbourhood was destroyed in the fire.
Despite her deep roots in Jasper, Addison and her husband have been living in various locations across Canada, including Vancouver, Revelstoke, and Ottawa. They only recently learned that their rebuilt home likely won't be completed until June 2027.
She said although they'd love to return, they've chosen not to apply for interim housing, wanting to leave room for others more in need.
"It's not easy. We have to walk and get out in the sunshine and breathe and remind ourselves, we're going to be OK," said Addison. "I wish I knew the plan, but we got to make a plan."
Her hope is that more rental options will open up after the busy tourist season. But she acknowledges that there's a lot of rebuilding to be done. The church where she volunteered, which also burned down, has yet to be cleared of rubble.
Alyona Sevastyanova moved to Jasper after fleeing the war in Ukraine and now lives in Grande Prairie. She evacuated the community after the wildfire, when the apartment she rented and the deli where she worked were both destroyed.
Although she was on the list for interim housing, she said the lack of employment opportunities in Jasper made it difficult for her to move back. But now, even visiting Jasper has become emotionally difficult for her, she said.
"It was a miracle place," Sevastyanova said. "I cannot go there for vacation, for example, or see my friend because it's very hard in my heart now."
For people who are still hoping to return, interim housing has been set up in the form of a temporary neighbourhood with trailers.
However, priority for the units is given to essential workers, including roles in public safety, health care, education, infrastructure, and government services.
The province has promised to provide tiny homes, some of which will be located in nearby Hinton. But those units won't be ready until later this spring, and they will only add a limited amount of space.
With summer approaching, the situation may become even more complicated, as Jasper's population swells during the summer months due to an influx of seasonal workers.
Many workers rely on short-term rentals, such as those in hotels or private residences, to find housing. But with tourists returning for the busy season, those options will be in short supply.
For some, the difficulty of returning has become too great, and they have chosen to relocate elsewhere.
Kristen Chambers is the manager at the Evergreens Foundation, which manages two seniors lodges in Jasper.
Pine Grove Manor, one of the lodges, was destroyed in the fire. According to Chambers, of the 33 residents who lived there, only two have returned to Jasper.
Bill Nixon, one of the residents, chose to move to Stony Plain to live closer to his daughter.
He said he is settling in well at the new place despite losing almost everything in Jasper. One thing he did bring to Stony Plain is his van, which survived through the fire.
He said that the uncertainty around how long it will take to rebuild the community made it an easy decision for him.
"For me, it was actually pretty easy because once I knew that they're looking at multiple years of rebuilding in Jasper," Nixon said. "I just figured it's just an easy call for me rather than staying in a motel for an unknown period of time."
With files from Ariel Fournier