The first trailer loads of Jasper’s interim housing units were trucked into the community today (February 11, 2025).
Squeezing under the 5.1 metre CN bridge at the east end of Jasper, 60 mobile housing structures— procured by Parks Canada after months of uncertainty in the community—began arriving on a sunny morning under the escort of local RCMP and emergency responders.
“It’s wonderful to see,” said Jasper RCMP Staff Sergeant, Rick Bidaisee, who was helping redirect traffic. “A lot of people are going to be very happy today.”
The oilfield-style “shacks”—mostly duplexes, to be deployed on recently-cleared and serviced parcels of community land reserved for housing—are among 320 accommodation units that Parks Canada has secured to house those who lost their homes in in the July 24, 2024 wildfire.
The commitment represents a $30 million investment by the federal government.
“Thank you Parks Canada,” said Jasper’s Chris Garnham, a retired railroader who lost his Miette Avenue home in the fire.
Some of the units that arrived on Tuesday are from a 300-person, post-fire camp in Fox Lake, about 600 kilometres north of Edmonton. A wildfire surrounding the Little Red River Cree Nation in May, 2023, destroyed hundreds of homes there. As that isolated community continues its own recovery, the trailers—which are about 12 years old, according to the rental company, Vertex Resource Group—are being rented to help facilitate Jasper’s rebuild.
Jasper’s Parcel GA, at the west-end of Connaught Drive, will fit 40 of the duplex housing units and two co-housing units from Corrections Canada. Another 20 duplexes will be deployed on Parcel HH, also on Connaught but at the east-end of town, adjacent to the Forest Park Hotel.
Jasper municipal councillor Scott Wilson was standing by on Tuesday to take in the scene, on what he agreed was a monumental day for the community.
“All credit goes to the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre for grinding away behind the scenes, who came up with solutions rather than road blocks,” Wilson said.
The two-term municipal councillor and local builder snapped a photo of members of the JRCC, who were also watching the 60,000-lb shacks get unloaded.
Getting the trailers into the right configuration on the sites is no simple thing. After the 14×60 foot units are unloaded from the 12-wheeler transport trucks, they are maneuvered into place by larger-tired, more agile bed-trucks. Jordan Boxma and his Rhino Industries team, out of Edson, are leading this technical task.
On Parcel GA, there will be homes for 84 households. Had single family units instead been brought in, as was being prescribed by the Alberta government, Wilson said only 18 housing units would have fit.
Jasper Mayor Richard Ireland said the day had him feeling excited, relieved, grateful and hopeful.
“I think the day residents start moving in will be a day of unabashed, tearful joy for so many,” Ireland said.
The JRCC has said that the interim accommodation units will be ready for occupancy by the end of the month.
Bob Covey // bob@thejasperlocal.com
