It’s been two years since spring flooding forced thousands to leave their homes in northern Alberta. People living in downtown Fort McMurray were hit hard and some are still battling their insurance companies..On April 26, 2020, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) declared a State of Local Emergency as high-water levels caused flooding along the Athabasca, Snye, and Clearwater Rivers. More than 13,000 people were evacuated from the area, including Mackenzie County..The city had been on the path to recovery after the 2016 wildfires..MLA for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche Brian Jean told the Western Standard the city is a resilient place full of resilient people.. JeanMLA for Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche Brian Jean. Submitted Image .“We are bouncing back from the flood the same way we have bounced back from other things,” Jean said. “That said, the fire and then flood really have opened a lot of people’s eyes to how much needs to be done to make home insurance fairer and to improve the processes of the Disaster Recovery Program.”.Jean knows all too well what it is like to be resilient..His Fort McMurray home went up in flames after the wildfire swept through the city. Approximately 2,400 structures burned to the ground on May 3, 2016, and forced the evacuation of roughly 90,000 people. Then his new house was flooded when the Athabasca and Clearwater rivers forced water into the downtown core on April 26, 2020..The Insurance Bureau of Canada revealed a tally that the flooding caused $522 million in insured damage. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney and Environment Minister Jason Nixon travelled to Fort McMurray to survey the damage..It was revealed that a 30 km long ice jam is the reason behind the floods and Fort McMurray had a population of around 67,000 people at the time of the disaster. More than 12,000 people evacuated their homes..Arthur Green is a Western Standard contributor
