Statement from Minister Sajjan and Minister Guilbeault to support those affected by Jasper wildfires

OTTAWA, ON, Aug. 1, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, and the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, issued the following statement:

"Our thoughts are with all those affected by the wildfires in Jasper and elsewhere. Hundreds of individuals, families and businesses have been forced to cope with being evacuated, the loss of their property, streams of income, and for many, their employment.

"The Government of Canada is working hard to ensure all those affected receive the services and benefits to which they are entitled. The following resources are available if needed to those impacted by the wildfire:

• Employment and Social Development Canada supports impacted individuals with enhanced Service Canada delivery, outreach to evacuees, and deployment of Service Canada employees to evacuation centres to assist clients, including Temporary Foreign Workers, by offering support in submitting applications for benefits, such as Employment Insurance (EI). There is no need to wait for your employer to issue a Record of Employment (ROE).
  Individuals affected by wildfires can submit an eServiceCanada request online to receive assistance with EI, Canada Pension Plan, Canada Pension Plan Disability, Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement, Social Insurance Number, Veterans Affairs, Grants and Contributions Online Services, Record of Employment on the web (ROE Web) and the Canadian Dental Care Plan.

• Many Parks Canada employees live in Jasper, and a significant number of them continue to work to fight the fire and coordinate the response despite significant personal loss. The Government of Canada will continue to ensure that all affected federal workers, including Parks Canada team members impacted by the fire, continue to receive their pay and the support they need as they work to recover and rebuild together with their community.
  Parks Canada continues to support recovery efforts, including working on ways to streamline local development review processes to support temporary housing and long-term rebuilding work that will come, both for residents and for business operators and their employees.
  Parks Canada, together with the Town of Jasper, is in dialogue with members of the tourism community, local businesses, and the province to ensure that all re-entry needs are identified and addressed.
  All existing leaseholders will have their leases remain in place with Parks Canada. To facilitate the rebuilding process, Parks Canada will expedite the renewal and replacement processes for leases that are nearing their expiration date.
  Parks Canada and the Municipality of Jasper will work together to address temporary housing as a whole, with priority focus on restoring essential services, including Fire Services, Jasper Dispatch operations, search and rescue, and road rescue response; and ensuring groceries, fuel and pharmacy needs, etc. are met. Parks Canada teams are working as quickly as possible, taking stock of the damage to housing, the number of individuals this damage affects, and on a needs assessment for the immediate as well as medium to longer term. 

• Indigenous Services Canada's Emergency Management Assistance Program (EMAP), is the single window for natural hazard emergency events in First Nations communities. When emergency response and recovery needs go beyond the capacity of individuals and First Nations or tribal councils, EMAP can help. The EMAP supports 100% of eligible costs for wildfire response in on-reserve and other eligible First Nation communities. This includes costs for accommodations, food, transportation, culturally appropriate health and wellness supports, equipment, and other supports, as required. For First Nations individuals who are evacuated due to the wildfire, supports are available such as replacement of documentation such as a status card, as well as refills or replacement of items covered under the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program. More information is available at Wildfire evacuation information for Indigenous peoples.
  Dealing with the trauma and stress of an evacuation due to wildfires can be challenging, as can the long-term effects of returning home to a community devastated by wildfire. Immediate emotional support and crisis intervention is available 24/7 through the Hope for Wellness Help Line to any Indigenous person in Canada. Trained and culturally competent counsellors can be reached toll-free at 1-855-242-3310 or via the online chat at www.hopeforwellness.ca.

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) introduced temporary special measures to help those directly affected by these wildfires. If you're directly affected by the wildfires, you can apply for free to:
  • replace IRCC-issued citizenship, immigration or travel documents (including passports) that have been lost, damaged or destroyed
  • extend or restore your temporary resident status
  • transition from an employer-specific work permit to an open work permit if you're unable to work for your current employer
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has a full suite of business risk management programs that are the first line of defense for producers facing disasters. Producers can apply for interim payments under AgriStability and submit any claims under AgriInsurance as soon as they can. Find more about Agricultural programs and services - agriculture.canada.ca.
• During wildfire events, Environment and Climate Change Canada is engaged to provide critical weather information, including detailed wind forecasts, smoke dispersion predictions and air quality forecasts. Together with Health Canada, they provide detailed online information about the adverse health effects of wildfire smoke and advice to help Canadians protect their health: Wildfire smoke, air quality and your health.
• Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada are working with other federal departments, as well as provincial and territorial partners, to reduce the risks to people in Canada from air pollution created by wildfire smoke, including populations in the Jasper area and beyond. This includes providing advice, health and environmental information to the public through the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), as well as helping jurisdictions create and manage cleaner air spaces, providing technical expertise and public health guidance on air quality and drinking water quality, and air quality monitoring equipment when requested by partners.
  They also provide a list of national and provincial mental health resources available to individuals and families in crisis across the country, including those living in Alberta. Evacuations due to fire risk and prolonged smoke exposure can take a toll on our mental health. It's not unusual to feel worried, stressed out, sad or isolated during a smoke event. The new Evacuations and Your Mental Health page features tips to help prepare for, cope with and recover from evacuations due to climate hazards, such as wildfires. It includes information for parents and caregivers to support children's mental health, as well as a printable poster that can be displayed in affected communities with information about reaching out for help.

• Natural Resources Canada's Canadian Wildland Fire Information System monitors fire danger conditions and fire occurrence across Canada. Daily weather conditions are collected from across Canada and used to produce fire weather and fire behavior maps. In addition, satellites are used to detect fires, and reported fire locations are collected from fire management agencies.
• Jasper residents, business owners and evacuees across Alberta should monitor local media and local government notifications for direction on when they can return home. See Municipality of Jasper - Jasper Wildfire 2024 (jasper-alberta.ca) and on Facebook, the Jasper National Park page at Facebook.com/JasperNP .
• Additional services offered by the Government of Alberta can also be found at: Active emergency updates | Alberta.ca.
  "We recognize the heroic work of first responders, volunteers, non-governmental organizations, and emergency managers across all levels of governments and Indigenous communities in the response and recovery efforts in the Jasper area.
  "The Government of Canada will always be there to help Canadians in need. Visit Canada.ca/wildfires for a complete list of links to various federal supports for individuals."

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada

Joanna Kanga, Press Secretary, Office of the President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, [email protected]; Media Relations, Public Safety Canada, 613-991-0657, [email protected]