An undamaged building stands next to the rubble of a building that firefighters had to tear down after it caught flames during a wildfire.
While the focus is on controlling the wildfire around the townsite, and getting utilities and essential services ready for residents, questions remain about the future of the visitor services sector, which provides the majority of jobs within the national park.Posted: Aug 10, 2024 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 hours ago
A recent survey of 86 Jasper businesses, which represents 38 per cent of the business community, found only 12 per cent believed they could stay viable without incurring debt for more than six months. Another 53 per cent said they couldn't last another two months.Jasper wildfire driving business away from surrounding areaBusinesses set up outside Jasper National Park are open, but most visitors are staying away in the wake of the destructive wildfire that ripped through the mountain town.
The timeline for when it is safe for residents to return to their homes and businesses to resume operations is still unknown. Shameer Suleman, owner of the Bayshore Inn Resort and Spa and president of Waterton's chamber of commerce, remembers the panic and fear of that day."We really pined and hurt for them because we know exactly what it's like," he said.
The 2019 season was better. Suleman said Parks Canada worked hard to get major attractions rebuilt. Then COVID hit in 2020 which he described as a "gut punch."
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