Active emergency updates

Alberta residents who had to leave their home because of mandatory evacuation orders may be eligible for a one-time evacuation payment to help with accommodations, food and other necessities.

Eligible families will receive:

• $1,250 for each adult
• $500 for each dependent under the age of 18

Eligibility

You may qualify for the evacuation payment if you:

• had to leave your primary residence home for 7 days or more due to an evacuation order.
  • secondary residences and recreational properties are not eligible
• are 18 years or older (payments are also available for dependents)

See the Emergency evacuation payments - eligible communities section for a list of communities with an Evacuation Order in place for at least 7 days.

How to apply

Apply online using your Alberta.ca account.

• Apply for yourself and your children or other dependents.

Step 1. Create an Alberta.ca account if you don't have one

• Create an Alberta.ca account.
• You don't need a verified account to apply.

Step 2. Apply

• Apply online after you have been out of your home for 7 days or more due to an evacuation order using your Alberta.ca account.
• To receive money by e-transfer, you must start the verification process or have a verified account. You don't need to wait for your activation code in the mail before applying.
• If you cannot access the verified account process or receive an e-transfer, call 310-4455 (Monday to Friday, 8:15 am to 4:30 pm) or visit your local Alberta Supports Centre.

How it works

• Evacuees can apply for an evacuation payment only once during the same event.
• Applications will be open for 30 days after the last mandatory evacuation order ends.
• Payments will be sent to eligible recipients through e-transfer and can take up to 24 hours. Alternate payment arrangements may take longer.
• Emergency evacuation payments are in addition to any insurance coverage and will not affect the coverage you receive through your insurance. 
• Emergency evacuation payments are non-taxable, do not need to be repaid, and will not impact benefit amounts for people who receive AISH or Income Support benefits.

Get help

For questions or assistance with your online application:

Wildfire information line

• Call: 310-4455 
• Hours: Monday to Friday - 8:15 am to 4:30 pm

Alberta Supports Contact Centre

• Call toll free: 1-877-644-9992
• Hours: Monday to Friday - 7:30 am to 8 pm
• In-person: Visit an Alberta Supports Centre (hours vary by location)

The following communities have had evacuation orders in place for at least 7 days:

• Fort Fitzgerald
• Smith's Landing
• Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation
• Big Lakes County evacuation areas
• Brazeau County evacuation areas including Drayton Valley and Brazeau Dam
• County of Grande Prairie evacuation areas
• Dene Tha' First Nation (Chateh)
• East Prairie Metis Settlement
• Edson
• Entwistle
• Evansburg
• Fort Chipewyan
• Fort Chipewyan Metis Nation
• Hansonville
• Lac Ste. Anne County evacuation areas including Lessard Lake Estates and Cherhill
• Little Red River Cree Nation/Fox Lake
• Lobstick
• MD of Greenview evacuation areas including Fox Creek, Sturgeon Lake and South Grovedale
• MD of Opportunity evacuation areas including Chipewyan Lake
• Mikisew Cree First Nation
• O’Chiese First Nation evacuation areas
• Peavine Metis Settlement
• Saddle Hills County evacuation areas
• Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation
• Swan Hills
• Whitefish Lake First Nation #459 including the communities of Whitefish River and Atikameg
• Wildwood
• Yellowhead County evacuation areas

Last updated: August 21

You may be eligible to apply for emergency financial assistance to help with unexpected emergencies if you can’t access other resources or wait until your next pay-cheque or government benefit cheque.

How to apply

• Visit an Alberta Supports Centre or call the Income Support Contact Centre at 1-866-644-5135

Eligibility

• Evacuees who have a disability, medical condition or other family needs and are unable to stay in an evacuation centre can request emergency financial assistance to cover hotel accommodations.
• People normally covered by Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada may be issued benefits if these individuals are unable to access federal supports and services.
• Income Support clients who are evacuated will be issued an emergency core essential benefit.
• AISH clients who are evacuated will be issued AISH emergency food benefits.
  • The AISH program provides emergency benefits to assist people with costs for essential needs like accommodation, food, medical costs, clothing and transportation.
  • If you receive AISH and you need additional support, call your AISH worker or 310-4455 (available Monday to Friday, 8:15 am to 4:30 pm).

How it works

• Albertans in need of emergency financial benefits may qualify for assistance with:
  • Accommodation (actual cost)
  • Food
  • Clothing
  • Transportation - may be issued if an evacuee needs to get to evacuation site, family, another place of safety
  • Health benefits - prescriptions, medical supplies, optical, dental may be issued as needed
• Albertans who go to an Alberta Supports Centre or call the Income Support Contact Centre will be asked to connect with their local reception centre to register and access services.
• Staff may authorize a hotel if the reception centre does not provide temporary housing or if you cannot stay at the reception centre due to medical issues, family composition, or disability.
  • Staff working at a reception centre would facilitate hotel stays through the Income Support Contact Centre.

• Provincial State of Emergency expired June 3, but provincial government support for communities, and resourcing and coordination to fight the fires, will not change.
• Check out wildfire status to see active wildfires, wildfires of note and the latest forest area updates.
• Information on all wildfires is on the Alberta Wildfire dashboard and the Alberta Wildfire app.

News conferences with wildfire officials were held daily until June 3. Daily news releases were issued to provide a summary of the situation and actions government took to respond to the emergency.

View all news releases | Watch all news conferences
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Landlords and tenants

Learn more about what you need to do as a tenant or landlord returning after a wildfire evacuation.

• Tips and advice for tenants and landlords (PDF, 393 KB)

Home repairs and renovations

Learn more about hiring a contractor and signing a contract for repairs and renovations after returning to your home.

• Tips on repairing homes after the Alberta wildfires (PDF, 332 KB)

Insurance information

• The Insurance Bureau of Canada has updated information about insurance during wildfires. Albertans affected by wildfires can visit their web page for information on property and auto insurance.
• Albertans can call the Insurance Bureau of Canada Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC (1-844-227-5422) or email IBC’s regional office at [email protected] (Western and Pacific regions).

Telephone town halls were held for evacuated Albertans to get updates from government and partner organizations. The last scheduled town hall was held June 3.

Listen to the recordings

• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (June 3)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (June 1)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 30)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 27)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 25)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 23)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 22)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 21)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 20)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 19)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 18)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 17)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 16)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 15)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 14)
• Wildfire Evacuation Information telephone town hall (May 13)
• Wildfire Evacuee Information telephone town hall (May 12)
• Wildfire Evacuee Information telephone town hall (May 11)
• Wildfire Evacuee Information telephone town hall (May 10)
• Wildfire Evacuee Information telephone town hall (May 9)