Alberta municipalities affected by wildfires to have most costs reimbursed by province

The Alberta government has set aside $175 million for wildfire disaster recovery after spring and early summer blazes tore through some communities and forced 38,000 people from their homes.

Municipalities and Métis settlements will be eligible to apply for provincial funding to help offset some of the unanticipated costs of responding to wildfires and repairing some damage.

"Alberta municipalities and Métis settlements have had to manage extraordinary costs and pressures to help keep residents' homes and businesses safe," Public Safety and Emergency Services Minister Mike Ellis said at a news conference Tuesday in Drayton Valley, 140 kilometres southwest of Edmonton. "We're here to help shoulder this burden."

Municipalities and settlements can use the recovery money to pay volunteer firefighters, municipal staff and firefighter costs, run reception centres and provide emergency accommodations, food and transportation, a government news release said.

It could also cover the cost of measures taken to protect local structures from fire, and repair or replace infrastructure damaged by fire prevention efforts.

However, since the government changed the program in 2021, recovery funds will cover only 90 per cent of communities' expenses.

The program will also only cover repairs that are uninsured.

Homeowners, renters, small business owners, landlords, agricultural operations, non-profit groups and condo associations are not eligible for the disaster response program. The government says these groups should be eligible for private fire insurance.

Residents of some Alberta Métis settlements have said they don't know how they'll rebuild homes because insurance companies refused to insure their property.

East Prairie Métis Settlement, which is about 380 km northwest of Edmonton, lost 27 structures in a May wildfire. The settlement was denied home insurance because the houses were too far from the closest fire station.

Ellis said the provincial government is aware of the challenge, but doesn't yet have a solution.

"We're going to do whatever it takes to try to make sure that we help any community," he said. "I can just say that those conversations are currently ongoing."

With May's wildfires, followed by rain causing flash flooding and a tornado in Didsbury on Saturday, officials acknowledged 2023 has been an exceptional year for natural disasters in Alberta.

Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver said thus far, the province has spent more than $700 million fighting wildfires.