Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi is calling-out the UCP and Premier Danielle Smith for what he calls inadequate housing support after the Jasper wildfire — with the province is hitting back.
The town was devastated by fire in July 2024. Around 358 out of 1,113 structures in the townsite were destroyed, equalling around one-third of the town.
The damage was concentrated on the west side, with significant impact on residential areas, including homes and businesses. About 820 housing units were affected.
"It’s been six months since the Jasper wildfire, and this government has failed to deliver a single replacement home," said Nenshi in an X post.
Alberta Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services Jason Nixon hit back in a statement, saying, "(I'm) not surprising to see Trudeau’s pick for Alberta defending Ottawa as the feds block the province from building housing for those who lost their homes in the tragic Jasper wildfire."
Nenshi added, "Over 600 families are still without housing because the UCP is using critical funding as a bargaining chip to force their agenda. Jasper deserves better."
At Jasper’s request, Alberta offered to build $112 million worth of housing for affected residents, and the offer still stands — in contrast to Nenshi's assertions.
The offer was for the province to construct housing for residents who lost their homes, and was not an offer to directly provide funding to Jasper to spend on unrelated housing issues.
"Jasper is federal jurisdiction, yet the province has had radio silence from Ottawa with no response to Alberta’s calls to help for months," said Nixon and Minister of Municipal Affairs Rick McIver in a joint statement.
"Despite a significant lack of support from the federal government following last summer’s tragic wildfire in Jasper, Alberta's government immediately took action to support Jasper’s recovery by investing more than $170 million and focusing on Jasper’s rebuild."
Nixon and McIver added, "After months of pushing for the deployment of housing units in Jasper, we have finally heard that the federal government plans to meet its obligations and begin to bring in single-bedroom trailers for displaced Jasperites. It is crucial that this work begins immediately."
Now that rebuilding has started, the province is missing in action, said Nenshi.
"Like always, they'd rather fight than win — they're fighting with the federal government, they're fighting with Parks Canada, they're fighting with the town council. And, like always, Danielle Smith and Jason Nixon think they can do other people's jobs better than those people."