Editor,
Re: Recovery Supports Needed
In a recent article in the Quesnel Cariboo Observer, Cariboo MLA Coralee Oakes claimed the provincial government has downloaded responsibility for the wildfire recovery effort to local governments while failing to give us the resources we need and failing to address the needs of individuals and businesses.
This is simply not true.
All the local governments in the Cariboo asked the Province to let us lead our own recovery efforts because we wanted a ground-up process, not one designed or dictated by provincial bureaucrats.
In fact, in mid-August, our business community specifically asked the City of Quesnel to help them find a way to undertake our own recovery assessment and develop our own strategy in order to avoid a repeat what happened last fall when MLA Oakes brought in a bunch of senior government officials for one day to kick-off a “transition” strategy for Quesnel and nothing came out of that process.
So, contrary the MLA’s claim, the Province did not download the recovery effort to local governments.
We strongly argued for the right to lead our own efforts and the provincial government listened and agreed to let us take the lead.
The provincial government is also fully funding our recovery initiative and, here in Quesnel, we have put together a very strong team of local contractors who will be ensuring impacted businesses and individuals are aware of the support programs currently available to them (and there are a growing number) while providing assistance to individuals and businesses to apply for these programs.
These local contractors will also be looking for where gaps exist in the current support programs, so we can advise the provincial government and work collaboratively with the Province to get these programs adjusted so they meet the real needs of individuals and businesses impacted by this year’s wildfires.
Despite the unprecedented nature of this summer’s wildfire season, we have not been abandoned by the provincial government as intimated by the Cariboo North MLA.
The City of Quesnel is pleased to have the financial and moral support from the Province to undertake our own wildfire recovery efforts, and we are already working diligently with the Cariboo Regional District and the provincial government to support, in a timely manner, individuals, businesses, and sectors impacted by the wildfires.
Bob Simpson
Mayor of Quesnel
