Environment Committee on Oct. 7th, 2024

[Dr. Mike Flannigan]

It's challenging. We try to manage fires. To be honest, we're not doing a great job. You just have to look at all the disasters that we have seen in the last few years, whether it's Nova Scotia, B.C. or Alberta. It's going to continue.

The scary part is that our peatlands are vast legacy carbons that have been storing since the last ice age. A fire can go through and emit enormous amounts of greenhouse gases. They're becoming more vulnerable as these peatlands thaw and the permafrost thaws, and they become available to burn.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you.

That's all the time we have for this first panel, which was extremely interesting.

I want to thank the panellists for making themselves available.

We'll have a quick break to set up our next panel and then continue for another hour.

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

I'd like to welcome our second panel.

We have with us, testifying as an individual, Lori Daniels, Koerner chair, wildfire coexistence, forestry, University of British Columbia.

From the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, we have James Gault, vice-president, northeast region.

From the Forest Products Association of Canada, we have Kate Lindsay, senior vice-president and chief sustainability officer.

We have, from the Government of Alberta, Minister Mike Ellis, deputy premier and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services, and Minister Todd Loewen, Minister of Forestry and Parks.

We'll start with you, Ms. Daniels, for five minutes. The floor is yours.

[Dr. Lori Daniels, Koerner Chair, Wildfire Coexistence, Forestry, University of British Columbia, As an Individual]

Thank you very much for the invitation to be here.

My name is Dr. Lori Daniels. I'm a professor of forest ecology and the Koerner chair of wildfire coexistence at the University of British Columbia. I'm coming to you today from the ancestral territory of the Musqueam first nation.

I have studied historical fire regimes and their impacts on forest dynamics in western Canada for the past 20 years. Thank you for the opportunity to share insights from the research we have conducted, both on the factors that contributed to the Jasper wildfires and also the strategies that are urgently needed in order to make our ecosystems and communities more resilient to future fires and climate change.

I have three core messages for you today.

First, the Jasper wildfire complex was a century in the making. Our research shows that the historical fire regime in Jasper began to change in the early 1900s. Over several centuries, from the 1600s to the 1800s, low-severity fires burned somewhere in the Athabasca Valley once every 20 years on average, scarring trees but not killing them. Patches of high-severity fire would kill trees and provide openings where grasses, shrubs and broadleaf and needle-leaf trees regenerated. Landscape photos from the early 1900s show a diverse mosaic of ecosystems.

The fire scars stopped in 1915. This is the beginning of the fire suppression era, when indigenous people were removed from their land and their good fire stewardship was terminated. Ignitions by lightning and people were suppressed to protect the forest. The paradox is that this good intention has had unintended consequences. Without repeat low-impact fires, the forest simultaneously matured, creating a uniform landscape of continuous needle-leaf forests with abundant flammable fuels, strongly contrasting with historical landscapes and fire regimes.

These mature forests were also optimal habitat for the mountain pine beetle, which spread into Jasper. The beetle is native to western North America, but it is novel to forests east of the continental divide. Its eastward expansion was facilitated by climate change, and the beetles have caused high tree death rates in Alberta. Field surveys and experiments conducted with Parks Canada have shown that abundant dead lodgepole pine trees and logs contribute to fire intensity and rapid rates of fire spread and emit large amounts of heat, smoke and carbon, so the stage was set, after 100 years, for the fire this summer.

My second message to you is that Jasper is not an anomaly. Disruption of indigenous fire stewardship, fire suppression and widespread forest health problems have cumulative effects across the forests in Canada. Climate change is now superimposed on vulnerable landscapes and amplifies the effects. Mountain pine beetles impacted 19 million hectares of forests in western Canada; fires burned 15 million hectares across our country in 2023 alone.

My third and final point is that transformative changes are urgently needed. We need to diversify our approaches and amplify the pace and scale of our response to recent wildfire extremes and climate change. We also need to recognize that specific strategies are as complex as the diverse ecosystems and forests across Canada.

Proaction requires support from all levels of government, including the federal government. Strategies include, but are not limited to, investing equal amounts in emergency response to wildfires and proactive management to mitigate future wildfire effects through mechanical treatments and prescribed and cultural burns. This is an underfunded and underutilized approach that is costing Canadians billions of dollars due to the direct and indirect effects of wildfires.

Second, we can invest in FireSmart programs at home and community levels to expand education and actions to improve resiliency; we need to support indigenous-led programs, given that fires are disproportionately affecting indigenous peoples, communities and territories; we need to implement landscape fire management to reduce the negative consequences of catastrophic fires, improve ecosystem resilience and sustain a forestry sector; we need to support the bioeconomy and bioenergy to overcome economic barriers; and we need to invest in post-secondary training to build much needed capacity in pyrosilviculture, and prescribed and cultural burning.

These transformative actions are urgently needed to mitigate climate change, adapt our forest management and proactively prepare for wildfire impacts on Canadian ecosystems and communities.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you very much, Dr. Daniels.

We'll go to Mr. Gault.

[James Gault, Vice-President, North East Region, Alberta Union of Provincial Employees]

Thank you very much for the opportunity to address this committee today on the matter that has impacted Albertans and people around the world—the wildfire in Jasper.

My name is James Gault. I'm one of six vice-presidents of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees. I represent the northeast region. That region includes Lamont, Slave Lake, Fort McMurray, Lloydminster and everything in between. I also work closely with local 005, which is the Alberta national resources and conservation officers.

Alberta's wildland firefighters and conservation officers, many of whom are part of local 005, were essential in the battle against the Jasper wildfire. They were joined by colleagues from across Canada and from countries like Costa Rica, Australia, South Africa and Mexico. The Canadian Armed Forces also provided support. These brave men and women risked their lives to contain the fire, and their commitment is beyond question.

While their efforts were heroic, the reality is that they have been operating within a system that has failed them, not through lack of dedication but because of poor policy decisions that have reduced the resources they need.

Wildfire management in Alberta requires a collaboration between provincial, municipal and federal authorities. However, this system only works when all levels of government provide the necessary resources. Sadly, this has not been the case. The strain is not due to the efforts of our firefighters and support staff, but due to the lack of investment in their work in the province of Alberta.

Last year, 1,088 wildfires burned through 26,000 square kilometres of land in Alberta and displaced 38,000 people, yet we went into 2024 with no better preparation. While the spring was quiet, July brought back fires in full force, with Jasper being just one of several that endangered Albertans. Our firefighters worked tirelessly, but the resources they needed to effectively manage these fires were systematically cut.

At the heart of the issue when it comes to Alberta is the underinvestment in Alberta's wildland firefighters, conservation officers and the other essential staff. These professionals are underpaid and undervalued. While firefighters in other jurisdictions receive benefits like presumptive cancer coverage due to the risk they face, Alberta wildland firefighters do not. This discourages experienced personnel from staying in Alberta, leading to a recruitment and retention crisis that has left us all vulnerable. Our most experienced firefighters are leaving for better opportunities, and those who remain are stretched thin. This is not their fault. It is a failure of a system that does not prioritize expertise and safety.

The tragedy in Jasper is an example of what happens when the system fails to provide necessary support. Firefighters and support staff on the ground did everything they possibly could, but help came too late. The system did not act quickly enough to prevent the fire from spreading. Despite the heroic efforts of our firefighters, the lack of timely action and inadequate resources allowed the fire to grow out of control.

While the premier had powers to intervene at her disposal, we heard reports that the federal government had requested help from the province, but the response was that Alberta was too busy fighting other fires around the province.

This tragedy is not just one of poor funding, but also of damaging rivalry between governments, where jurisdiction disputes have caused the people of Alberta to suffer. When governments fail to collaborate effectively, it's the people on the ground, both the residents and the frontline workers, who bear the brunt of that failure.

The death of 24-year-old firefighter Morgan Kitchen in Jasper underscores the risks these professionals face. He was a hero, but his loss should remind us of the government's responsibility to ensure heroes are supported and equipped to do jobs safely. How many more lives will be at risk before we ever take action?

The issue isn't just about wildfires; it's about the choices we make as a province. Years of cuts to funding and resources left Alberta vulnerable to the growing threat of wildfires that stretched into the town of Jasper.

The solution is not only investing in equipment. More importantly, it's the people who make our wildfire response system work. Our firefighters, our conservation officers and the support staff have proven their dedication time and again. Now is the time for governments to match that dedication and allow an interco-operative group to be able to work when it comes to fighting fires in Jasper and throughout the province of Alberta and Canada.

Alberta's future depends on these choices. If we're serious about protecting our communities and our environment, then we must rebuild and properly fund a system that safeguards all of them.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you very much, Mr. Gault.

We'll go to Ms. Lindsay from the Forest Products Association of Canada next.

[Kate Lindsay, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Forest Products Association of Canada]

Thank you, Mr. Chair and committee members, for the opportunity to be here.

I'm happy to speak to you today on behalf of the Forest Products Association of Canada.

FPAC represents Canada's forest sector nationally, with members operating in nearly every province across Canada. Our members are leaders in sustainable forest management and are committed to ensuring that our forests continue to provide environmental, social and economic benefits to Canadians.

The impacts of climate change, including more extreme wildfires, pose a significant threat not only to our forest ecosystems but also to the communities that depend on them. The tragedy that unfolded in Jasper is a sobering reminder that our forests and the people who live and work in and around them are at growing risk.

I have three main points I want to share with you today.

First, there is a need for proactive action. You've heard this from other panellists. We acknowledge that the federal government has made efforts to address wildfire risk and to enhance resilience, including the very recent investment in the wildfire resilient futures initiative. However, this funding, which included greater support for FireSmart and scaled-up preventive measures, such as fuel reduction, are likely insufficient to address the magnitude of the challenge before us collectively.

The second point I want to talk about is awareness. Again, this is a role the federal government can play: understanding vulnerability and wildfire exposure and landscape-scale solutions. You heard from Dr. Christian Messier about the “Diverse” project. Change is under way in forestry and forestry practices and in the role that forests can play in mitigating climate change and increasing resilience to it.

The concept and approach I'll refer to as “climate-smart forestry” can play a role in both mitigation and adaptation, and it can help the resilience of our forests. Climate-smart forestry adopts a holistic lens, focusing on three key pillars: mitigation potential, unlocking the ability of forests and forest products to reduce emissions through increased carbon uptake and storage; resilience, enhancing forest health and reducing susceptibility to disturbances like fire and pests through adaptive management—think fuel treatment, such as thinning and burning, and adapted silviculture; and product substitution, using forest-based products, such as forest residues, as bioenergy, which helps to displace more carbon-intensive energy sources and materials.

Lastly, there is an urgent need for policy to support and enable these proactive measures. We urge the federal government to elevate fire prevention and forest resilience as a national policy priority and to provide the necessary regulatory flexibility and support to implement these initiatives on a larger scale.

Undertaking this type of strategy or action plan will also identify the lack of a fire lens on existing federal government priorities and policies. This could take the form of a wildfire crisis strategy or could become a dedicated pillar of the national adaptation strategy.

We also recognize and support the critical role of indigenous peoples in returning good fire to the landscape in the form of cultural burning practices and management leadership.

In closing, while the road ahead is challenging, I think we've heard both from Dr. Flannigan and Dr. Messier that for the next 30 to 50 years, we're into very extreme conditions. However, Canada's forest sector can be a key partner in this whole-of-society approach, and FPAC remains committed to working with all partners to develop solutions that enhance the health and the resilience of Canada's forests.

Thank you for your attention today, and I look forward to answering any questions.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you, Ms. Lindsay.

We'll go now to Deputy Premier Ellis for five minutes, please.

[Mike Ellis, Deputy Premier and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services, Government of Alberta]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Good afternoon. Thank you for the opportunity for Minister Loewen and me to provide Alberta's perspective on the 2024 Jasper wildfire.

I want to begin my remarks by first expressing my thanks to all of the first responders who were out on the front lines during the incident. They put their own well-being on the line to protect Jasper, to help evacuate thousands and to help to rebuild. Their hard work and fearlessness was an inspiration for the whole province, so I do indeed thank them.

I'd also like to express my thanks to the Jasper mayor, Richard Ireland, who displayed tremendous leadership throughout the incident, despite even losing his own home. Thank you, Mayor.

This wildfire season in Alberta was challenging for many communities. We continue to be there, of course, to support our residents as needed. The Government of Alberta contributed to strengthening Jasper's emergency management system through annual reviews of its emergency management plans, training for various operational emergency management functions, advice on bylaw and legislative amendments, functional emergency management exercise support, and, finally, support during the 2024 wildfire.

This contributed to a successful evacuation of Jasper residents. A combined total of 10,000 Jasperites and upwards of 15,000 tourists were evacuated through British Columbia and Alberta to reception centres in Grande Prairie, Edmonton, and Calgary.

I'd also like to extend my thanks to federal Minister LeBlanc, the public safety minister, and Minister Sajjan of Public Safety Canada for their prompt responses to our requests for assistance, and we do indeed thank them. This included, of course, support from the Canadian Armed Forces.

In addition to collaboration at a federal level, Alberta is currently working with the Canadian Red Cross to establish the terms of matching agreements and to provide assistance to those impacted by the Jasper wildfires.

However, I would like to take an opportunity to discuss issues with you regarding the unified command that had control over the jurisdiction during the Jasper crisis.

The fact is that Jasper is surrounded by a national park where the fire originated, presenting a very unique challenge. This challenge was that the park superintendent has oversight for all emergency management decisions for both the park and the municipality. This places the province in a position of being able to certainly influence but not decide, yet the Province of Alberta is responsible for most of the bill with regard to the recovery.

During the crisis, there was a unified command between the town and Parks Canada, wherein each was represented by its own incident commander. With that said, the issue that rises is that the superintendent remains responsible, unless willing to delegate his authorities, responsibilities and accountabilities.

We also had issues on jurisdictional responses to communicating to those who had been evacuated. With all levels of government having defined roles, communicating to Jasper was very difficult. Because of this, the Government of Alberta took it upon itself to organize and hold town halls to keep evacuees informed. The response to these town halls was that they were greatly appreciated by affected residents, who were wanting answers in their time of crisis.

As Alberta's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services, I can say that there are two items that could assist Alberta with both Jasper's recovery and with recovery from future disaster events.

First, while the wildfire in Jasper originated within the Jasper National Park, Alberta has approved a disaster recovery program with a budget of about $149 million to support Jasper's recovery. However, under the federal disaster financial assistance arrangements, the DFAA, only a portion of Alberta's costs are eligible for reimbursement, and we certainly ask that the DFAA cost-sharing formula be waived, given that this fire originated in the national park, which is federal jurisdiction. This is a fire that originated in the national park and then spread to the town of Jasper. Therefore, we need to have a discussion on the costs and that the federal government may be responsible for the costs of this fire.

Second, Alberta appreciates the revisions to the DFAA that were announced earlier this year, particularly the increased focus on mitigation and prevention. We would, however, request that the implementation be delayed from the current date of April 1, 2025, to the end of September 2025 to ensure that we're not implementing these changes in the midst of a future disaster. This short delay will also allow us time to change our policies to match the new guidelines and train up our local authority partners on these new guidelines.

In closing, I just want to say thank you to all who are very focused on making sure that we're all working towards a very common goal, which is, of course, the safety and security of Albertans.

I'll hand it back to you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you very much, Deputy Premier.

We'll go now to Minister Loewen for five minutes.

[Todd Loewen]

Thank you very much, Chair.

I want to begin by expressing my heartfelt gratitude to all the firefighters and frontline responders who bravely faced the Jasper wildfire. Their courage and dedication has not gone unnoticed, especially during such devastating times.

Thank you to the committee members for the opportunity to discuss this event.

As we reflect on the tragic events surrounding this disaster, we must acknowledge the profound loss and devastation experienced by the residents of Jasper. Many have lost their homes and cherished belongings and the familiar landscapes they love.

I would also like to take a moment to thank Mayor Richard Ireland for his leadership and communications throughout this crisis, especially given his own personal loss during these events. It is a testament to his commitment to the community.

We will assist in the cleanup and restoration of these areas. Together, we can strengthen our wildfire management efforts and protect our landscapes for generations to come.

In light of the severity of recent wildfires, Alberta's government has implemented a unified command approach with municipalities across the province through Bill 21. We believe this strategy should also extend to federally controlled lands to ensure a coordinated response in the future without delays.

We are eager to lend our expertise in battling wildfires. It's clear that proactive forest management plays a critical role in safeguarding both our natural landscapes and the communities that depend on them. Alberta's approach to managing our forests exemplifies how dedicated attention to insect and disease management, carefully planned commercial harvesting, and prescribed burning and community fireguards can make a significant difference in reducing wildfire risk.

Alberta's government takes a comprehensive approach to protecting our forests. We have invested millions of dollars in mountain pine beetle control. Our mountain pine beetle control program leveraged the proactive harvesting of high-risk forests with an aggressive survey and control of infested trees. Infested trees pose a major risk because they contribute to wildfire fuel loads. By cutting and burning these problem trees, we've made great strides in reducing the beetle population by 98% since 2019, showing that targeted resource management can make a significant impact.

We also proactively reduce wildfire risk by directing companies to focus commercial harvesting on old, high-hazard stands and beetle-killed stands, and using prescribed burns to effectively reduce the fuel load. This is an important point that I want to emphasize again: Proactive, managed disturbance can be, and is, good for the environment and people. Contrary narratives that frame disturbance as negative are simply oversimplistic and fail to recognize the very valuable aspects of carefully managed disturbance and how it has played an important part of our landscapes for thousands of years.

At a community and homeowner level, we use fireguards—pre-built, cleared strips of land—to act as barriers between forested areas and communities. These buffer zones help slow the spread of fires and allow firefighters an anchor point to plan burnout operations, as well as providing safe access points for containment efforts. We also provide funding for communities to plan and prepare and implement FireSmart principles.

In contrast, Parks Canada's approach, though well-intentioned, has drawn criticism for being reactive. The tragic events in Jasper highlight the importance of proactive measures in forest conservation and fire prevention.

Trees killed by the mountain pine beetle undoubtedly contributed greatly to the tragic events in Jasper. The vast number of dead trees accelerated the wildfire, making control actions difficult and arguably impossible. No small-scale, community FireSmart efforts would have helped with such an intense fire.

The wildfire that ultimately reached Jasper's townsite was within Jasper National Park, where Parks Canada has responsibility. Alberta and Parks Canada have a mutual aid agreement, and Alberta stepped in to assist from the very beginning. Alberta's government supported the response by sending firefighters, helicopters and heavy equipment. In fact, during the wildfire, we had more than 70 firefighters, multiple helicopters and critical equipment working alongside Parks Canada to fight the flames.

Our collaboration included real-time communication and strategic resource-sharing, with Alberta wildfire resources deployed to support the response from day one. At the time, Alberta was already battling several other large fires across the province. With over 160 active wildfires and over 50 classified as out of control, our priority was protecting communities and infrastructure, yet when Parks Canada needed help, we made it our top priority, and at no time did we suggest we were too busy, as has been purported. In fact, as we increased our wildfire budget by 55% in this last year, we had even more resources to share this year.

This wildfire posed serious risks for the crews on the ground, and sadly, we lost a true hero on August 3. Morgan Kitchen lost his life while fighting the fire. He was deeply committed to keeping our communities safe, and he gave everything for a cause he believed in.

Without the hard work and dedication of Morgan and all the wildland firefighters, the situation in Jasper could have been much worse. I know that I speak for all Albertans when I say that we are incredibly grateful for their efforts to protect our beloved mountain town.

As we look ahead, it's important to recognize how well Alberta's proactive forest management strategies are working, with more to do. By investing in prescribed burns, fireguards and harvesting practices, Alberta not only protects its natural heritage but also helps protect the safety and well-being of its citizens.

The wildfire in Jasper reminds us of how critical it is to focus on prevention and not just reacting when things go wrong. By pushing for robust forest management policies, we can create a future in which our forests thrive and our communities remain resilient in the face of wildfire challenges.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Francis Scarpaleggia]

Thank you, Minister.

We'll go to our six-minute round, and it is Mr. Lloyd who leads off.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Minister Loewen, will you table the records of Alberta's spending on wildfire management going back 10 years for this committee to review?

[Todd Loewen]

Yes, I will, absolutely.

Again, we increased the budget by 55%. We went from $100.4 million to $155.4 million, and we also increased our contingency amount that was available. Last year, it was $1.5 billion and this year it was $2 billion, so there's another 33% increase there.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Thank you, Minister.

Minister Ellis, you alluded to issues with unified command. I was told that Alberta was not invited to join the unified command until July 27, I believe. Is that true? If so, why was there the delay for Alberta to be included in unified command?

[Mike Ellis]

That's a good question. I think it's a question that you should probably ask the minister or the national park.

We of course wanted to be included in the unified command from a decision-making perspective right from the very beginning. At this point, we were only in an advisory role, but believe me, these are conversations I had with Minister Sajjan, who did his best to try to get us into a decision-making position.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

The minister didn't seem opposed to you being in unified command, but was somebody within Parks Canada or the town, presumably, who was leading the unified command, involved?

[Mike Ellis]

In the conversation I had with Minister Sajjan, he did not seem opposed to our being in a position of unified command from a decision-making perspective, but he's not the decision-maker as the minister when it comes to who's on that.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Who is the decision-maker?

[Mike Ellis]

Well, it's the minister, I'm assuming, who is responsible for the national park.

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

That would be Minister Guilbeault.

My next question is for our Alberta Forest Products Association witnesses.

Back in 2017, the Alberta Forest Products Association; the Conservative member of Parliament for Jasper, Jim Eglinski; and numerous forest scientists, including Ken Hodges, wrote numerous letters to the minister of environment at the time in this Liberal government—Catherine McKenna—about the catastrophic threat of a wildfire to Jasper.

The responses given to them at the time in question period and in letters were that “the ecological integrity” of the park must be protected. Your organization has to abide by regulations involving sustainability in all these matters. In your opinion, does it maintain the ecological integrity of a national park to maintain large swaths of dead pine beetle-infested forest?

[Kate Lindsay]

Thanks for the question.

I can't speak on behalf of Parks Canada because there are laws around what type of management can take place, but I can say it was known that.... I think what Minister Loewen said was that the forest product sector and the Province of Alberta were starting to implement the healthy pine strategy and actually targeting pine stands to reduce the risk of flammability, and that same level of intervention was not taking place within the park—

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

To simplify my question, is it promoting ecological integrity to let stands of dead mature pine beetle-infested trees stand in a national park? Is that promoting ecological integrity?

[Kate Lindsay]

Well, I think it comes down to what level of risk we are comfortable with, based on where we live today, and that risk is increasing.

In the past, I think having static reserves was meant to act as essentially something that could be monitored in time, almost like a test case—