The B.C. government has committed another $18.4 million to begin cleanup of the fire-ravaged Village of Lytton, with work to start on debris removal of municipal properties on March 8.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said on March 7 that the new funds will cover debris removal, archaeological work, and soil remediation for all uninsured and under-insured properties, and finance the removal of ash, soot, bricks, metal, and other debris from more than 200 properties.
Work will begin on five municipally-owned properties on Fraser Street – the fire hall, public works building, visitor information centre, museum, and pool – which are relatively easy to access and will not interfere with the Highway 12 corridor. After that, work on private properties will begin as soon as possible, starting with the removal of toxic material.
“The funding announced today will clear the way for the rebuilding of Lytton,” Farnworth said on March 7.
The new funding is in addition to $1 million from the province last year to help the village continue operating, and $8.3 million committed in February 2022 to assist with rebuilding costs and fund core services — including restoring the water and sewer systems and rebuilding village data lost in the fire — for the next three years.
Following the debris removal, the province will coordinate and fund archeological work that would otherwise be covered by the residents.
Lytton is a site of cultural importance, one of the oldest continually inhabited sites in B.C. The work aims to identify and preserve any findings in the area, working in partnership with local First Nations.
“We don’t want the cost of archaeological work to be a barrier to the people of Lytton, and we will preserve any finds in the area,” said Farnworth.
The new funding will also cover the cost of providing temporary accommodations at the village site for as many as 30 staff and workers engaged in the next phase of the recovery.
It has been 250 days since Lytton was almost completely destroyed in a fire on June 30 of last year, and Farnworth was asked if there was a specific reason for the delay in getting the recovery going, considering the province rebuilt two major highways in that time.
Farnworth replied that a lot of work has been going on, including removal of toxic materials.
He added that residents – with the assistance of volunteer groups Samaritan’s Purse and Team Rubicon – were also given time to sift through the ashes for personal artifacts.
“The capacity of the Village of Lytton was also an issue,” he said, “and the weather events (in November, which cut off highway access) had a significant impact on the timeline in terms of debris removal. There were many challenges for a community that was completely destroyed, and we’re now at the point where we can make significant progress.”
Farnworth also stressed the need for working with Lytton council and village staff and the greater community as a whole. “Part of the rebuilding process must involve residents and how they want to see the community rebuilt. What future do they see for Lytton? It’s not a case for the province to come in and start dictating, ‘This is how your community will be rebuilt.’
“Has it taken time? Yes, it has. Recovery nearly always does. We’re on the right track.”
editorial@accjournal.ca
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