As smoke rises in Saskatchewan’s north, Regina officials are finally opening the government’s wallet a bit wider for wildfire evacuees. The provincial government announced yesterday it would double emergency financial support for residents displaced by the ongoing wildfires that have already forced thousands from their homes.
The enhanced aid package raises individual payments from $500 to $1,000, while families will now receive $2,000 instead of the initial $1,000 offered when evacuations began last month. The money is meant to help cover immediate expenses like food, clothing, and temporary shelter costs.
“We’re seeing the real human impact of these fires,” said Christine Tell, Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety during yesterday’s announcement. “Many families left with just the clothes on their backs. This additional support acknowledges the extended nature of this displacement.”
The assistance comes as more than 3,000 residents remain unable to return home, with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency reporting that 27 active wildfires continue to burn across the province’s northern regions. The most severe blazes are concentrated near communities including Buffalo Narrows, La Loche, and Île-à-la-Crosse.
For Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation member Cheryl Morin, the increased support is welcome but overdue.
“The first $500 was gone immediately on hotel costs and replacing medications I couldn’t grab when we evacuated,” Morin told me by phone from a Prince Albert hotel where she’s staying with her three children. “This extra money helps, but we’re going on three weeks away from home now. The costs add up.”
The provincial funding supplements federal disaster assistance programs, though many evacuees report frustration with the application process for both. According to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Social Services, approximately 2,100 households have received the initial payment, with the supplementary amounts to be automatically processed for those already approved.
Community advocates have questioned whether even the enhanced support is sufficient given the extent of the crisis. The Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations called the increase “a step in the right direction” but emphasized that many evacuees face weeks or potentially months of displacement.
“When you’re talking about extended hotel stays, three meals a day at restaurant prices, and replacing essential items, these families are looking at thousands in unexpected costs,” said FSIN Vice Chief Heather Bear in a statement released hours after the government announcement. “And that’s before we even address the mental health supports needed.”
The financial strain extends beyond immediate needs. Small business owners from affected communities report lost income with no clear path to compensation. Tourism operators have seen summer bookings cancelled, and seasonal workers face unemployment as the wildfires interrupt the traditional summer economy.
Saskatchewan’s wildfire season has arrived earlier and with greater intensity than usual, according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency. Officials attribute this to drier-than-normal spring conditions and several lightning-sparked fires that quickly grew beyond containment capabilities.
Climate researchers at the University of Saskatchewan have linked the increasing wildfire threat to climate change patterns that are creating longer, more severe fire seasons across the Canadian north. Since 2015, Saskatchewan has experienced four significantly above-average wildfire seasons.
The province has deployed over 200 firefighters, with additional support from other provinces through mutual aid agreements. However, officials acknowledged yesterday that some fires are being managed rather than extinguished due to resource limitations.
For evacuees, the wait continues. Regular updates from the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency indicate that several communities remain under threat, with shifting wind patterns and dry conditions hampering containment efforts.
“People keep asking when we can go home,” said Buffalo Narrows Mayor Bobby Woods during a community update meeting in Prince Albert. “The honest answer is we just don’t know yet. Safety has to come first, and right now, it’s not safe.”
The provincial government has established a dedicated hotline for evacuees seeking information about financial assistance, with additional support staff added to process applications more quickly. Officials encouraged affected residents to register with the Red Cross to ensure they receive all available support services.
For families like Morin’s, the doubled financial assistance offers some breathing room, but uncertainty remains the constant companion of displacement.
“My kids ask every day when we’re going home,” she said. “I tell them when the fires are out. But then they ask when that will be, and I don’t have an answer.”
