The municipality of Wood Buffalo said it was getting a support package from the provincial government of Alberta two months after fires shut in oil production.
The provincial government said it was extending around $65 million to help the municipality recover from wildfires that scorched the region for most of May.
“The Alberta government has been with us every step of the way during what is the biggest challenge in our region’s history and we look forward to continued support that is much needed for our residents,” Wood Buffalo Mayor Melissa Blake said in a statement.
The region is central to the oil sands industry of Alberta and fires had impacted about 1 million barrels per day in oil production. The fires created supply concerns in North America as Canada is the No. 1 oil exported to the United States.
The Canadian subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell resumed some of its work in early May, though others like Suncor were impacted more deeply, evacuating thousands of employees out of Wood Buffalo in response to the fires.
More than 1,370 square miles were impacted by the wildfires. Evacuation orders were issued for at least 80,000 people in the area.
Provincial Minister Danielle Larivee said in a statement the offer is part of a commitment to stand by the people of the region.
“This advance on disaster recovery funds is part of that promise and will ensure the municipality can keep moving forward to clean up and rebuild, without having to carry a heavy financial burden,” she said.
Officials in Wood Buffalo estimate their response costs at about $130 million.
[Source:- UPI]
