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Jasper will receive more than half a billion dollars in funding from the federal government to accelerate the rebuilding of destroyed and damaged park assets and provide temporary housing for residents displaced by the 2024 wildfire.
On Tuesday, federal Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced $520 million in funding for reconstruction efforts.
In a news release, the federal Department of Finance said the funding will go towards rebuilding the 20 per cent of total assets in the national park that were damaged or destroyed in the wildfire, such as campgrounds, staff housing, utilities buildings and roadways.
The funding will also provide interim housing for displaced Jasper residents through March 2028 and “complete townsite and perimeter fire risk reduction,” the department said.
According to the news release, the funding comes in addition to the $385 million in Jasper wildfire response and recovery efforts the federal government has already delivered.
“Today’s announcement builds on existing measures, ensuring that damaged park infrastructure is restored so that Albertans, Canadians and visitors from around the world can once again fully enjoy this UNESCO World Heritage Site,” Champagne said in the news release.
More to come.
