Author: Shelly W

Categories
Alberta Economic Ft Mac

Builder Declaration Required for Any Construction Companies Involved With Rebuilding Fort McMurray

The province has learned from past mistakes, such as the fire and massive destruction at Slave Lake, and as a result new rules are being put into place forcing construction companies to provide a builder declaration before they can take part in rebuilding the damaged or destroyed homes and buildings in Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo. The province will post the work history plus any fines that are outstanding for each of the construction companies which participate in the rebuilding effort. This is to assist residents so that they do not end up falling for shady builders or using incompetent companies. According to Municipal Affairs Minister Danielle Larivee during a recent press conference a builder declaration must be completed before the construction company can apply for a building permit. This allows homeowners online access to the history, background, financial data, and outstanding fines or even court orders for a specific company.

According to Larivee the goal of the builder declaration is to weed out any incompetent and shady construction companies. “I certainly know first-hand how stressful rebuilding can be. Five years ago, I watched many in my community who struggled through the rebuilding process at a time when they were already vulnerable. They didn’t know how to choose the right builder for them or what should be included in a contract. It was a tremendously stressful experience and many Slave Lake families did not have the support they needed.” Companies who will be doing repairs or renovations will also be required to register and follow the same process, not just builders who build new homes.

Categories
Ft Mac Politics

Public Members Were Needed for Wood Buffalo Recovery Committee

Public members were needed for the Wood Buffalo Recovery Committee, and a total of 6 people could be chosen to serve on the committee and work with local government. A press release from the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo explained that six residents would be selected from applications for the committee, and these residents will work closely with Fort McMurray Mayor Melissa Blake and the 3 council members on the committee. These councillors are Sheldon Germain, Keith McGrath, and Allan Vinni. There are a number of responsibilities that the committee must handle and certain oversight duties that they must perform. Recovery Team Leader candidate recommendations, Recovery Task Force progress updates on a weekly basis, and committee meetings are just a few of the things that members will need to participate in.

Public members who were interested in the open spots on the Wood Buffalo Recovery Committee had to submit an application by Monday, July 4, at 4:30 pm. The applications could be submitted in person or by email. The application included some sections which could be beneficial, like involvement in local organization and volunteer experience in the past. Another area covered was flexible availability. The public members chosen to sit on the committee will be named once the application process has been completed and the members have been chosen. Hopefully this is another step forward to a full recovery for Fort McMurray and Wood Buffalo, a step towards a brighter future for everyone so that the wildfire and evacuation can finally be put behind the community.

Categories
Alberta Entertainment Ft Mac

Canada Day in Fort McMurray Without Fireworks

Last Friday was Canada Day, a holiday that celebrates the Constitution Act signing on July 1, 1867 and is celebrated across the country. This year the Canada Day celebrations in Fort McMurray were missing something though, and that was the usual fireworks display. Residents in the area were treated to numerous musical acts and events which were high profile the Regional Recreation Corporation nixed the pyrotechnics due to logistical issues as well as concerns over safety. Usually the fireworks can be seen far beyond MacDonald Island Park, but with the recent wildfire and evacuation there are some who are probably not sad that the typical pyrotechnics will not be seen this year. An alternative was found by having all of the musical artists who were performing to sing the national anthem together.

When discussing the lack of fireworks at MacDonald Island Park on Canada Day RRC communications coordinator Theresa Wells explained “The time that that decision was made, the fire ban was still in effect. We really had to be very cognizant of that, as well as the fact that we’ve had a community that’s been through a very difficult spring. So we’re going to end the evening a little bit differently this year. ʺ Amateur enthusiasts were reminded by Hunter Langpap, the acting Wood Buffalo fire marshal, that the Alberta Fire Code must be followed. “It mandates that anyone who wishes to sell, store, or discharge fireworks must have written consent from the fire department in order to do so. If someone wants to put on a firework show in the RMWB, they must apply for a permit through the fire department. Low hazard is the stuff that you might see for sale at the corner store. High hazard are the pyrotechnics that you’d see at the New Year’s Eve display at Mac Island.” Even with the proper permit Langpap reminded people that “Only adults over 18 years of age should handle fireworks. No alcohol or drugs should be used when discharging fireworks, obviously. Wear protective eye glasses and gloves.”

Categories
Alberta Ft Mac

Firearm Thefts in Fort Chipewyan Under Investigation

The Wood Buffalo RCMP is investigating after firearm thefts in Fort Chipewyan occurred on May 31, 2016, and police need help from the public about the crime and those responsible. A theft complaint was made to the RCMP on May 31, and officers responded to Henry Drive where they determined that there were 2 firearms taken from a parked vehicle that was in the driveway of the residence. According to the complainant the firearm thefts happened between 9 pm the previous night at 9 am that morning. According to Wood Buffalo RCMP Cpl. George Cameron there are no charges pending against anyone at this time. The police do not have many leads to go on and they need people to come forward with any information that they may have so that the crime can be solved.

According to Cpl. Cameron “There were pieces of the firearms left on the property. We’re hoping someone will feel comfortable enough to come forward with any information.” Since the Fort Chipewyan firearm thefts indicate that the weapons were modified and it is unknown who has these weapons this is a big concern. Wood Buffalo has seen a number of shootings in the last few years and the firearms taken could contribute to this trend if they are not recovered quickly. It is believed that a Mossberg .410 shotgun and a Coory older model .22 calibre single shot rifle were taken, and that a tool which was either a saw or something similar was used by the thief to remove the rifle’s barrel. Both of the weapons also had the stock removed. Anyone who knows anything can contact tipsubmit.com online, Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477, or the Fort Chipewyan RCMP by calling 780-679-3931.

Categories
Ft Mac Health

Northern Lights Regional Health Centre Starts Welcoming Back Long Term Care Residents

Long term care residents at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre are being welcomed back now that the hospital is back up and running. During the evacuation period the residents were moved to various Edmonton long term care units according to Northern Lights Regional Health Centre area manager for seniors health Denise Wilkinson, and she stated “It’s wonderful to have the residents back. Emotionally they wanted to come back, this is their home.” One of these residents is 83 year old Irvin Higdon, who watched through his fourth floor window as the flames spread and who was quickly evacuated. Higdon told reporters that “My boys are here, my grandchildren are here, and my great-grandchildren. It feels good to be back home.”

64 year old Frank Gibot is another one of the long term care residents at Northern Lights Regional Health Centre, calling it home for the past 14 years, and he had nothing but great things to say about the staff and the evacuation process. “I was a little bit scared. But the driver’s did a good job, the nurses, everyone did just a good job. I didn’t panic. It’s good to be back home. I missed being home after two months. I didn’t like it (being away), it was really hard.” All of the residents who had returned by the time the Countess of Wessex visited were invited to meet the Royal, and Gibot could not contain his excitement saying “I’m really excited to meet the Royals. I’ll be glad to meet them. I feel pretty special for the invite.”

Categories
Alberta Ft Mac Politics

Alberta Health Services Recognize Heroic Acts During Fort McMurray Fire Evacuation

Heroic acts performed during the Fort McMurray fire evacuation have been recognized by Alberta Health Services. A recent Friday event at the Northern Lights Regional Health Centre AHS made a special point to give recognition to those who performed selfless acts during the evacuation of the area. Senior operating director David Matear stated that “The evacuation was a massive team effort. We couldn’t have done it without you.” While handing out flags which were flying over the hospital on evacuation day Matear explained that [This was] in recognition of their efforts throughout the evacuation and into the weeks that followed to support and protect staff.”

Alberta Health Services CEO Dr. Verna Yiu also gave praise for the Fort McMurray fire evacuation. Yiu told the participants “I can’t even imagine. What I saw was countless acts of heroism. All of you contributed in one way or another, ensuring our patients were looked after. The toughest part is coming back. But I have the utmost faith that we’ll be fine.” Councillor McGrath was also on hand and discussed the recovery ahead, stating “Without a hospital, we’re not a community. There’s a long road ahead, but certainly the hospital is a big part of that.” During the fire evacuation staff had very little notice or the ability to plan in advance, yet they managed to evacuate over 200 patients safely and more than 400 staff members were also evacuated. This was accomplished in two hours thanks to the heroic efforts of everybody involved.