The business community of Jasper — a town whose economy depends on tourism, particularly in the crucial summer season — is facing an overwhelming challenge in the months ahead.
Amanda Stephenson, The Canadian PressThe business community of Jasper — a town whose economy depends on tourism, particularly the crucial summer season — is facing an overwhelming challenge in the months ahead. The remains of restaurants and business' in Jasper, Alta., on Friday July 26, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Amber Bracken
“It was open for 40 days,” said co-owner Ashley Kliewer in an interview, adding the fine-dining restaurant with its four-course chef’s menu and curated wine pairings was something Jasper had never seen before. Federal officials have said about one-third of the buildings in the Jasper townsite were lost in the blaze, and it’s already clear that some business owners lost their homes as well as their businesses.
Last week, credit rating agency DBRS Morningstar estimated the Jasper wildfires could cost the insurance industry up to $700 million, making it one of the most expensive wildfire disasters in Canadian history. “And we had taken all of our earnings and put it into this new restaurant,” said Kliewer, who also co-owns The Raven Bistro, another Jasper restaurant.
During an update Tuesday, Alberta Emergency Management Agency spokesman Joe Zatylny said there were no timelines for when Jasper residents and business owners can return home or tour the damage.Kliewer said while that makes sense, she can’t make a plan for how to rebuild her business until she can get in and see first-hand what remains.
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