As some northern Saskatchewan residents begin returning to their communities, Matthew Maurer says local businesses are running low emotionally and financially, with no support from the provincial government.
“Our grocery stores that have no food, need to restock. We have business owners who stuck around to provide those essential services, and they’re burnt out, they’re exhausted,” Matthew Maurer, president of the La Ronge & District Chamber of Commerce and owner of Nikik Digital Solutions, said at an NDP news conference in Saskatoon on Wednesday.
Maurer joined the Saskatchewan Opposition’s call to Premier Scott Moe for immediate support for wildfire-impacted small businesses.
He said many of the businesses run on tourism and are facing cancelled bookings and lost summer income.
The plea came just days after the provincial ombudsman criticized the government’s response to wildfire evacuations.
Evacuation orders are still in place for some northern communities and many businesses have now been closed for more than two weeks, including restaurants, lodges, hotels, fishing lodges, salons and outfitters, most of which rely on the summer months and tourism to stay afloat.
“It is peak tourism season, and the tourism economy is a huge part of our economy in Northern Saskatchewan. The Outfitters, their customers can’t come to them. If the roads are closed, they can’t get up there, and they’re taking a huge hit,” Maurer said.
The province did announce some support for evacuees on Wednesday.
Premier Scott Moe said at a news conference that anyone older than 18 who lives in a community that was evacuated will get $500.
The payment is intended to help evacuees cover immediate costs during their time away from home and expenses tied to returning once it’s safe to do so.
The emergency funds will be distributed through local leadership — including municipalities and First Nations — in a move Moe described as a “partnership with our community leadership.”
The NDP called for several immediate measures specifically focused on businesses:
Deferrals on provincial taxes and fees.
Expedited SGI claims.
Zero interest on tax arrears.
“Supports are being provided to small businesses in neighbouring Alberta, which has also seen thousands evacuated due to wildfires. We need the same here,” NDP jobs and economy critic Aleana Young said.
She said that some business owners have had to draw from personal savings to survive, and others are running on no income at all but still working to support firefighters and evacuees.
Family behind La Ronge’s Robertson Trading nearly loses cabin to wildfire, too
Among the businesses impacted is Robertson Trading, a La Ronge landmark that burned down during the wildfires, taking with it history and culture that Maurer describes as priceless.
“You can’t put a price on that,” he said. “It’s felt everywhere, not only in the community, but I know everywhere else. Anybody who has visited LaRoche has felt the impact of the loss.”
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