ONGOING RECOVERY | TRI-COUNCIL COLLABORATION

• • Meeting Basic Needs
  • Tri-Council Collaboration
  • Stakeholders in Recovery
• • Committed Funding
  • Progress Report

After the threat from the fires had been controlled, the Emergency Operations Center shifted into recovery mode. Rather than saving lives, the mission became rebuilding communities. Early on, it was understood that the disaster hadn't just affected the Town of Slave Lake, nor was it restricted to the outlying communities of Lesser Slave River. The fires had affected the lives and livelihoods of everyone in the region. It was because of this understanding that a joint was formed between the MD, the Town, and the Sawridge First Nation.

This Tri-Council collaboration is purposed with determining which projects will be undertaken, and in which order, using the $289 million in disaster funding provided by the Alberta Government. Estimated to take between two and five years to complete, some of these vital projects include implementation of the Firesmart program throughout the region; expansion of fire halls; development and repair of regional water systems; and implementation of evacuation and early warning systems. A full list of post-disaster initiatives can be found within the Regional Wildfire Recovery Plan, available as a PDF within the Multimedia Library.

While these goals and projects are all highly desirable, they're also highly ambitious. As a result, some of the gaps between vision and execution have become apparent. Even with the Tri-Council in place, administration of these recovery initiatives alone has caused a great deal of additional effort for staff on hand. A larger team will be required to fulfill the goals set by the Regional Recovery Plan within a reasonable time frame. Concern has also been voiced that, once completed, the burden of maintaining these large projects will fall on the shoulders of local taxpayers. Much of this new infrastructure has yet to be started, and many questions remain. The only consensus seems to be that the new joint council faces a long and difficult process in the months and years to come.