Jasper calls on province to help seniors displaced by wildfire

Mrinali Anchan · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 04, 2025 9:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

The Pine Grove Senior Citizens Manor was among the 358 structures incinerated erstwhile a monolithic wildfire breached the Jasper townsite past July. Now, Jasper is advocating for the province rebuild the gathering with much units and a caller seniors centre. 

Jasper assembly enactment guardant a question connected Tuesday to scope retired to the state to unafraid further accommodations for Pine Grove residents who inactive person not been capable to travel backmost to Jasper due to the fact that of deficiency of housing. 

"As the demographics of Jasper and the state are aging. The babe boomer procreation is each entering into their elder years. This is precise critical," Coun. Kathleen Waxer, who voted successful favour of the motion, told council. 

"Loneliness and isolation is 1 of the astir worrisome and 1 of the astir damaging aspects of aging." 

Mayor Richard Ireland's question volition person him constitute a letter on behalf of council, requesting that the province include further surviving units for seniors and including a seniors' centre abstraction successful the plans for the rebuild of Pine Grove Manor. 

That question passed unanimously. 

"We promote the provincial authorities to adhd much surviving units for seniors, arsenic good arsenic the elder centre. Our full assemblage volition beryllium strengthened [and] spot the payment from that," Ireland said. 

After the wildfire, up to 33 residents were temporarily surviving successful a edifice successful Hinton, east of Jasper National Park.  Some person besides been staying successful Edmonton and Wetaskiwin. 

Seniors who lived successful the lodge were told they look a two- to three-year hold for their location to beryllium rebuilt. 

The Ministry of Seniors, Community and Social Services told CBC successful a connection that the state is dedicating $18 million for interim lodging successful Hinton for Pine Grove Manor residents portion the installation is rebuilt successful Jasper.

Funding includes $4 cardinal for 2024-25 and $14 cardinal successful 2025-26.

"We are presently focused connected readying for the rebuild and determining what the caller installation volition look like, with $2 cardinal successful backing from fund 2025," said ministry property secretary Ashley Stevenson. 

"We program to prosecute with the seniors and the assemblage to guarantee the caller installation meets residents needs, including looking astatine expanding the Manor's capableness and whether designs could see further societal spaces."