Alberta’s government is committed to ensuring Jasper residents and businesses are supported as the community recovers from last summer’s wildfire. Since the beginning of the wildfire, more than $170 million has been provided from across the provincial government to support Jasper residents and businesses as the community recovers and rebuilds.
To further the province’s commitment to support the recovery of the Municipality of Jasper, Alberta’s government is providing an additional $8 million to fund property tax relief for residents and businesses, to develop regional transit services and to help cover lost municipal revenues.
“Wildfires don’t just destroy homes and businesses. They change lives in ways that last much longer than the flames. That’s why we are providing an additional $8 million to the more than $170 million that has already been provided to the Municipality of Jasper during and after the wildfire. Our additional support will provide residents and business owners with some much-needed relief, help maintain public services and connect communities through transit services for workers and residents who are still displaced.”
With more than $8 million in additional support for the Municipality of Jasper, Alberta’s government has now provided a total assistance package of more than $178 million. Of this additional support, more than $3 million will provide tax relief for property lease holders of both residential and business properties in Jasper. Property taxes will be forgiven for everyone, for the one-month period when the town was evacuated last summer. For lease holders of properties that were destroyed or are still uninhabitable, the property tax relief period will be extended from the evacuation in July until the end of 2024.
“The Municipality of Jasper is grateful for the Government of Alberta’s announcement confirming much-needed funding for tax relief, revenue stabilization and support for transit. These commitments are critical to our community’s ongoing recovery and will provide essential relief as we rebuild and move forward. We appreciate the province’s recognition of the unique challenges Jasper faces and its continued investment in our future. We look forward to ongoing collaboration in our recovery efforts.”
In addition to the tax relief provided to residents and businesses, a further $3.1 million will help the Municipality of Jasper cover municipal revenue lost due to the wildfire to help the town continue delivering essential services to residents. Alberta’s government will also provide the municipality with a one-time grant of $2 million for regional transit services between Jasper and Hinton. This regional transit service will create pathways for workers and displaced residents to maintain their connection to Jasper.
“Our government is committed to supporting the municipality and its residents and businesses in recovering after the wildfires. This additional $8 million builds upon the $170 million we have provided for Jasper and its residents during and after the wildfires. This extra support will ensure that the Municipality of Jasper can continue to provide quality services to its residents while also providing residents and business owners with some much-needed relief.”
The province’s total assistance package of over $178 million during and after the wildfire includes:
- Up to $149 million in Disaster Recovery Program funding.
- $7.5 million in emergency evacuation payments to more than 6,500 Jasperites.
- $12.9 million in matching funds to support the Canadian Red Cross in providing support to residents and business owners in Jasper.
- $2.5 million in tourism support.
- $121,400 in food, financial and operating support to the Jasper Food Bank.
- $3.02 million in tax relief for lease holders of residential and business properties.
- $3.1 million in revenue stabilization for the municipality of Jasper.
- $2 million one-time grant to support contracted transit services.
Quick facts
- The tax relief and revenue stabilization package is worth approximately $6.12 million, including:
- $1.9 million in property tax relief.
- $1.12 million in education tax levy offset.
- $3.1 million for 2024 revenue losses for the Municipality of Jasper.
- The one-time $2-million transit grant is to support contracted transit services, not capital costs.