Support for households impacted by the 2023 Alberta Wildfires
Personalized Recovery Support
For those whose homes incurred major damage, or whose homes were destroyed (uninhabitable), due to the 2023 Alberta Wildfires, the Red Cross is providing 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.
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
To access this support, we ask that you please contact us at ABRecoverysupport@redcross.ca or by calling 1-833-966-4225 from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. MT. We will follow up with you to set up an appointment with a case manager.
Housing Repair and Reconstruction Program
The Canadian Red Cross is working with homeowners whose primary residence sustained major damage, or was destroyed, as a result of the 2023 Alberta Wildfires through housing repair and reconstruction support.
Our Case Managers can support you with putting together a recovery plan, understanding insurance and community resources, as well as providing referrals and information to help you make decisions and inform next steps in your recovery journey.
Eligible homeowners may be able to receive financial assistance to help with costs related to housing repair and reconstruction, including:
- Professional services (e.g., engineer, financial and/or legal professionals)
- Expenses related to the clean-up their property and home
- Expenses related to the repair or rebuilding of their home
- Expenses related to moving to a new location
- Mental Health and wellbeing supports
If you have questions about the Housing Repair and Reconstruction Program, please contact us at ABRecoverysupport@redcross.ca or by calling 1-833-966-4225 from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. MT.
Assistance is determined on a case-by-case basis and is not intended to duplicate insurance coverage or other assistance programs.
Residential Mitigation Incentives *Applications closed as of 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 provided financial incentives for people living in eligible areas who were 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 Mitigation
Eligible applicants who were interested in taking on a more impactful mitigation project may have received up to an additional $1,500 in reimbursement for expenses related to any of the residential mitigation activities listed below.
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 no later than January 31, 2025. Note that activities completed before November 10, 2023, were not eligible for reimbursement.
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, 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:
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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.
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