Agency encouraging rebuild applicants to book a pre-application meeting

Jasper’s rebuild has hit a significant milestone, the Insurance Bureau of Canada has announced.

The community’s insurer-coordinated debris removal and site preparation program is now complete, paving the way for reconstruction.

“Now that the vast majority of properties are cleared, residential and commercial lots are conducting environmental testing and beginning to apply for reconstruction permits from Parks Canada, so that the rebuild can begin,” IBC said through a news release on May 2.

But even though more than 380 demolition permits, 110 development permits and 11 building permits have been issued by Parks Canada thus far, in a national park, the processes of demolishing, clearing, site testing and rebuilding is extremely complex. The IBC said in its press release that insurers are encouraging the agencies to work efficiently to speed up Jasper’s rebuild.

“It is our hope now that local officials and Parks Canada can work together expeditiously to issue development and building permits to get shovels in the ground and get people into their new homes as quickly as possible,” the IBC’s Aaron Sutherland said.

Parks Canada is heeding that call, the agency has said. 

To help facilitate expediency, Parks Canada has increased its capacity exponentially. Since the new year, in the local development office, 14 new staff have been hired, 11 of whom are dedicated fully to permitting. Drop-in hours have been on offer, policy has been simplified and relaxed, and in general, processes have been streamlined to help reduce barriers to re-building, said Emily Goldney, Rebuild Planning Manager with Jasper National Park. 

“Between insurers, contractors, the municipality and Parks Canada, everyone recognizes that efficient approvals are critical to Jasper’s recovery,” Goldney said.  

But bottlenecks still remain. One of the main challenges that Goldney’s office is finding is that only about 40 percent of the development permit applications which have crossed development officers’ desks are complete and conforming. 

In other words, nearly 60 percent of applications require revisions, leading to delays for the applicant, and extra work for all parties. 

To mitigate this, since October, Goldney and her colleagues have been encouraging applicants to book a pre-application meeting with a planner, either over the phone, in person or online. They continue to push that message.

“That way we can help ensure the application is accepted on the first try,” Goldney said. 

Applicants can call 780-852-6220 or email jasperdevelopment@pc.gc.ca to access these pre-application services. 

One of the most important aspects of the development permit process as it relates to Jasper’s post-fire rebuild is ensuring the sites are safe from contamination. 

Development permits can be submitted before soil testing results are back. Once soil testing has shown the site is safe for residential use, residents can apply for building permits.

Acting Integrated Land Use Policy and Planning Manager, Chris Watson, said his team is working with contractors to improve the often-intensive site sampling processes. Because the agency is still relatively early in the process, specialists are still learning about what kind of contaminants—be it asbestos, petroleum hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and dioxins, for example—are on the fire-affected landscape.

“In the contamination world, every site is different,” Watson said.

And in a small town, those kinds of discrepancies can lead to confusion and the spread of less-than precise details. Goldney and Watson encouraged residents to seek out good information right from the source. 

“The flow of information is hard to control, anyone who might hear a rumour or different information can always check in with Parks Canada,” Goldney said. 

“We’re in a unique situation here,” Watson added. “But we’re acutely aware that these applicants are our friends, neighbours and colleagues. We know they’re looking to rebuild as fast as possible.”

Residents can access essential rebuilding information including permit application requirements, on Jasper National Park’s website.