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No decision yet for re-entry or rebuilding in Waterways: RMWB

Last Updated Aug 11, 2016 at 2:58 pm MDT

A heavily damaged area of the community of Waterways pictured on June 8, 2016.

The RMWB said in its weekly status update that no decision has been made on the re-occupation and rebuilding of Waterways.

They say a deeper study of the measures required to protect Waterways against flooding events is required and they’ll release more information about rebuilding efforts in Waterways as soon as that information is available.

Green Homes Plan

In the meantime, the RMWB has sent the latest draft of the more than 600-page re-entry plan for the green homes in Abasand and Beacon Hill back to the Chief Medical Officer of Health(CMOH), Dr. Karen Grimsrud, on Wednesday.

Grimsrud has the final say on whether the Green Homes Plan can go forward. It would allow people to return to many of the homes still standing in those two communities.

The RMWB said the Plan includes a robust safety mitigation plan to allow the re-occupation of clusters of standing homes in Abasand and Beacon Hill. The “green homes” in these areas have been divided into a first and second phase, with the first phase being those homes which are farther away from the debris field.

Grimsrud is expected to take five to seven days to review the Plan and provide feedback, after which the RMWB may be required to make further changes to the plan that would then have to be once again reviewed by the CMOH. The process has already gone back and forth a few times but that is being done to ensure the safety of residents in these communities.

“We are confident that the Green Homes Plan shows the extensive risk mitigation steps that have been put in place in Abasand and Beacon Hill,” said Erin O’Neill, Recovery Branch Lead. “With further input from the Chief Medical Officer of Health, we hope to be able to bring more of our displaced residents home.”

If the plan gains approval, the RMWB would need five to seven days to put the plan into action. The plan includes launching information centres for the returning residents, bringing back BagsterĀ® services for those residents, and ensuring they have the same supports available to them that the broader community had during the June re-entry.

Public Consultation

Following consultation with resident groups in Fort McMurray, the Municipality said it is working on a broad public engagement strategy for further outreach to residents.

These engagements will be an opportunity to meet with recovery experts and Wood Buffalo Recovery Committee members to discuss the issues that matter to residents.

Engagements will be planned for residents of all affected areas across the region including Wood Buffalo, Stone Creek, Saprae Creek, Parsons Creek North, Timberlea, Abasand, Beacon Hill and Waterways.

Jeanette Bancarz, the Chair of the WBRC, has said opening up the lines of communication between the people working on recovery and those directly affected by it will be the most important part of her new role.

Demolition

Demolition and debris removal work is continuing, with the RMWB saying it has received a total of 1,059 Demolition Permit applications, 827 of which have been approved.

The RMWB said Municipal Safety Codes Officers continue to patrol demolition sites to ensure safe practices and to maintain the safety of residents in the area.

Since the August 4 Progress Report, the RMWB said two stop work orders have been issued to contractors who were not abiding by the terms of the Demolition Permit.

A further Progress Report will be issued by the RMWB on Thursday, August 18.

Financial support for businesses

On Tuesday, a new recovery program was announced for small businesses in the region which will provide up to $20,000 per small business applicant to cover recovery costs, including new equipment, property damage and cleanup.

For more information on this program, go to redcross.ca/AlbertaFiresBusiness and choosewoodbuffalo.ca.

The deadline to register for Emergency Relief Funding through the Wood Buffalo Business Hotline is August 12, 2016. Business owners can call 1-855-769-2249 to register.