The federal government announced Tuesday that it will spend $ 77 million to help rebuild Lytton, BC, in a way that can better withstand future fires, almost a year after the village was destroyed by the flames.
More than three-quarters of the new funding ($ 64 million) will go to new, fire-resistant public buildings, such as community centers and libraries. The remaining $ 13 million goes to small and medium-sized businesses and insured homeowners to rebuild fire-resistant homes.
“These investments will position Lytton as a leader, proving that sustainable, resilient and zero construction is not the way of the future, it is the way of today,” International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan told the media on Tuesday. gas survive. station right on the hill from the village center.
The announcement comes before the one-year anniversary of the disaster on June 30, 2021. The entire town, located about 150 miles northeast of Vancouver, was destroyed by fire after enduring four days. of record heat. Two people were killed.
Hundreds of houses were reduced to charred rubble. The village expects residents to have access to their homes to begin reconstruction in late September, officials said.
“From pandemics to wildfires, atmospheric rivers and landslides, it’s been a devastating year for Lytton,” said Brad Vis, a deputy for Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon. “Today’s announcement is a big problem … I really hope that this funding announcement today rebuilds our community in a way that will enable it to withstand future climate-related disasters.
“Lytton deserves a lot.”
Sajjan toured what is left of downtown Lytton later Tuesday, led by village supporter Owen Collins, who lost his own home. Little has changed in the city, with many piles of rubble still untouched.
Burned homes and vehicles are seen in Lytton, BC in March. (Gian Paolo Mendoza / CBC)
The pace of recovery has taken its toll on residents and staff: three recovery managers have come and gone in the last 11 months. Mayor Jan Polderman said on Tuesday that property permits and insurance negotiations have been barriers to faster progress.
“Right now, uninsured properties are being cleaned up. We’re still waiting for the insurance industry to … clean up their properties,” he said.
Some residents who attended the announcement on Tuesday chatted to each other and shook their heads as politicians spoke.
“I think it’s great that they’re finally making an effort, but I think something should have been done a long time ago,” said Tricia Thorpe, who lost her home last year and moved to his new fireproof home in March. .
“I think if these kind of announcements had been made, for example last September, October, I think the community would have had a lot more hope … this has been very long and everyone is tired.”
Damaged structures and vehicles are seen in Lytton, BC, July 9, 2021. (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press)
Through the new Lytton Homeowner Resilient Rebuild program, announced with funding on Tuesday, the government will provide $ 6 million in grants to homeowners “who have basic rebuilding insurance who want to rebuild clean or fire-resistant homes.”
When asked when residents could expect to see the money, Sajjan also said insurance was a hurdle.
“This is something we would like to be able to click and move on tomorrow, but the challenges with insured sites that do not have this cleanup are an impediment,” Sajjan said.
On Friday, Ottawa also announced a $ 207 million advance payment to BC as it finalizes applications from the federal disaster assistance fund for communities affected by last year’s wildfire season.
The complete application is more than double.
Polderman said it could take most of a decade to completely rebuild the village, citing other fire-ravaged communities such as Slave Lake and Fort McMurray in Alberta and Paradise, California as examples.
“Overall, you’re looking at a four- to eight-year period to rebuild a community,” he said.