Support for households impacted by the 2023 Alberta Wildfires
The Canadian Red Cross is committed to supporting communities impacted by the 2023 Alberta Wildfire season, both in their recovery from the event and in increasing resilience to future events.
Residential Mitigation Incentives *Applications are closed since April 30, 2024
The Canadian Red Cross recognizes that mitigation measures can be powerful tools for protecting against future events. The Residential Mitigation Incentive program provides financial incentives for people living in eligible areas who are interested in undertaking mitigative actions to make their homes more resilient to future wildfires and extreme heat events.
Residential Maintenance
Eligible applicants may have received up to $1,500 for the residential maintenance activities listed below. These are simple tasks that most people can take on themselves or with some extra help. They help reduce the risk of wildfire spread around your home.
Residential maintenance activities:
Eligible applicants who were interested in taking on a more impactful mitigation project may be eligible to receive up to an additional $1,500 in reimbursement for expenses related to any of the residential mitigation activities listed below.
These are tasks that will require a bit more planning and more time to complete. They will help reduce the risk of wildfire and extreme heat to your home. You may need help from a contractor or a professional to ensure these projects are done properly.
To be eligible for reimbursement, you will need to provide the Red Cross with photos of before and after the work was completed, as well as receipts/invoices for the work completed. Note that activities completed before November 10, 2023, are not eligible for reimbursement.
Residential mitigation activities:
Eligibility Criteria
Residential mitigation incentives were available to those who:
Application period
Please note that the application period for the program closed on April 30, 2024, applications will not be accepted after this date.
If you have questions about the Residential Mitigation Incentive Program or need assistance registering, please contact us at ABRecoverysupport@redcross.ca or by calling us at 1-833-966-4225 from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. MT.
Personalized Recovery Support
For those who have incurred major damage or whose homes are destroyed (uninhabitable) from the 2023 Wildfires, the Red Cross can provide personalized recovery support. The Red Cross case management team will work directly with people impacted to discuss their unique needs and help them navigate their recovery journey and access available support. This may include support for planning their return home, understanding insurance and community resources, and providing referrals and information to help people make decisions and inform their next steps.
In addition to the personalized recovery support to plan for and navigate recovery, eligible households may receive financial support to help meet their needs.
Eligibility Criteria
Personalized recovery support is available to those who:
If you would like a response to your email, please ensure to include your full name, address, current phone number and as much detail and specifics as possible. These details will help us to better respond to your email.
Your feedback is important to us. Due to the high volume of emails we receive, we will respond to your email as soon as possible. For journalists and media outlets, please find a listing of all media contacts here.
Residential Mitigation Incentives *Applications are closed since April 30, 2024
The Canadian Red Cross recognizes that mitigation measures can be powerful tools for protecting against future events. The Residential Mitigation Incentive program provides financial incentives for people living in eligible areas who are interested in undertaking mitigative actions to make their homes more resilient to future wildfires and extreme heat events.
Residential Maintenance
Eligible applicants may have received up to $1,500 for the residential maintenance activities listed below. These are simple tasks that most people can take on themselves or with some extra help. They help reduce the risk of wildfire spread around your home.
Residential maintenance activities:
- Roof maintenance/repairs
- Repair windows and/or exterior doors, including caulking and weatherstripping
- Repair cracks, gaps, and holes in exterior cladding/siding
- Remove leaves and debris from eavestroughs
- Remove plants and materials that are within 0 - 1.5 metres from the home
- Remove plants and materials that can catch fire from under decks
- Prune coniferous/evergreen trees up to 2 metres from the ground
Eligible applicants who were interested in taking on a more impactful mitigation project may be eligible to receive up to an additional $1,500 in reimbursement for expenses related to any of the residential mitigation activities listed below.
These are tasks that will require a bit more planning and more time to complete. They will help reduce the risk of wildfire and extreme heat to your home. You may need help from a contractor or a professional to ensure these projects are done properly.
To be eligible for reimbursement, you will need to provide the Red Cross with photos of before and after the work was completed, as well as receipts/invoices for the work completed. Note that activities completed before November 10, 2023, are not eligible for reimbursement.
Residential mitigation activities:
- Replace existing roofing with Class A fire rated roofing materials
- Replace combustible siding materials with fire or ignition-resistant materials
- Install or replace deck materials with Class A or B rated materials
- Replace exterior doors with ones that are fire rated and thermally insulated
- Replace furnace or air conditioner with a heat pump
- Install portable air conditioner units – ideal for tenants
- Install whole home air conditioning unit
- Replace single-pane windows with multi-pane windows
- Install window film/tint
- Replace ceiling light fixtures with ceiling fans
- Install insulated / blackout curtains or blinds - heat resistant
- Install exterior roll shutters or awnings with fire or ignition-resistant material
- Install double glazed windows - Low E glazing
Eligibility Criteria
Residential mitigation incentives were available to those who:
- Are a resident of Alberta and have a primary residence that is in a community that was under evacuation order or alert during the 2023 Alberta Wildfires
- Are a homeowner, a tenant, or live in a community-owned home
- Have a primary residence that was not damaged or incurred minor damage due to the 2023 Alberta Wildfires
Application period
Please note that the application period for the program closed on April 30, 2024, applications will not be accepted after this date.
If you have questions about the Residential Mitigation Incentive Program or need assistance registering, please contact us at ABRecoverysupport@redcross.ca or by calling us at 1-833-966-4225 from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. MT.
Additional resources:
Personalized Recovery Support
For those who have incurred major damage or whose homes are destroyed (uninhabitable) from the 2023 Wildfires, the Red Cross can provide personalized recovery support. The Red Cross case management team will work directly with people impacted to discuss their unique needs and help them navigate their recovery journey and access available support. This may include support for planning their return home, understanding insurance and community resources, and providing referrals and information to help people make decisions and inform their next steps.
In addition to the personalized recovery support to plan for and navigate recovery, eligible households may receive financial support to help meet their needs.
Eligibility Criteria
Personalized recovery support is available to those who:
- Are a resident of Alberta and have a primary residence that is in a community that was under evacuation order or alert during the 2023 Alberta Wildfires
- Are a homeowner, are a tenant or live in a community-owned home
- Have a primary residence that incurred major damage (damage that endangers the home or makes it unsafe to live in) or was destroyed by the 2023 Alberta Wildfires
We want to hear from you
The mission of the Canadian Red Cross is to help those in times of need. We are always trying to improve our systems, processes, and programs to better serve you. We encourage you to provide feedback on your experience or interactions with us. If you would like to share any feedback or have questions, please email us at CRCfeedback4@redcross.ca.If you would like a response to your email, please ensure to include your full name, address, current phone number and as much detail and specifics as possible. These details will help us to better respond to your email.
Your feedback is important to us. Due to the high volume of emails we receive, we will respond to your email as soon as possible. For journalists and media outlets, please find a listing of all media contacts here.