For generations, Jasper has been both a home and a destination, where people have built lives and businesses while welcoming visitors from across Canada and around the world.
The 2024 wildfire changed the community profoundly. Homes and businesses were lost, residents were displaced and critical infrastructure was placed under immense pressure. In the time since, Jasper residents, local leaders and businesses have worked with extraordinary determination to rebuild.
That recovery is about more than replacing what was lost. It is about restoring the essential services that residents depend on, enabling new homes to be built, and strengthening the community against future emergencies.
To that end, Minister Olszewski, and Mayor Ireland announced a joint investment of more than $7.9 million in a wastewater lagoon recommissioning project in Jasper. The federal portion, over $3.9 million, is being allocated through the Direct Delivery stream of the Build Communities Strong Fund.
The Build Communities Strong Fund is investing $51 billion in a wide range of infrastructure projects across the country that support economic prosperity, housing, sport, education, health, transit, and climate adaptation. It reflects the Government of Canada's acknowledgment that building a strong Canada starts with investing in the modern and reliable infrastructure that makes it possible to increase housing supply and create resilient communities.
Funding for this project will go towards the restoration of an existing, decommissioned lagoon to increase the resilience of Jasper's wastewater system. This will provide critical storage capacity during peak flow periods and reduce its environmental impact when used as an emergency wastewater storage facility. The lagoon currently receives wastewater during extended power outages at the plant, such as during wildfires or when the plant is taken offline for maintenance.
Once complete, the project will help prevent overflows and maintain continued wastewater service as the community rebuilds and grows, supporting Jasper's long-term housing strategy. It will also protect the local watershed during peak flow periods, infrastructure failures or maintenance events.
This investment is one part of the Government of Canada's broader commitment to Jasper's recovery. By strengthening the infrastructure needed to support housing, essential services and future growth, governments are working together to help build Jasper back as a safer, stronger and more resilient community.
