The Province is committing $21 million to help re-establish essential infrastructure and services, and sustain ongoing municipal and community-led recovery efforts.

“Over the past year, Lytton residents have shown tremendous strength as the community has come together to recover from what was lost,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “With new funding to help get essential services and infrastructure back up and running, the Village of Lytton is taking another step forward on this challenging journey of rebuilding. The Province has supported that journey, and we’re going to keep working together to rebuild Lytton.”

The new funding will support priorities identified in the Village of Lytton’s recovery plan, including:

• the restoration of crucial services, such as fire protection, to enable residents to safely return to the community and start their own rebuilding efforts;
• the reconstruction of key municipal infrastructure, including the Village office, and the assessment for repair of water and sewer infrastructure; and
• ensuring adequate staffing is in place for recovery-related municipal operations, including improving consistent communication with residents.

“Earlier this year, provincial funding helped the Village of Lytton undertake debris removal and remediation work on all properties to restore the ground so residents could look ahead to rebuilding,” said Jennifer Rice, Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness. “Now, additional funding will help the Village take necessary next steps to assist people starting to safely return to the area and know that they are supported with essential services. That includes taking steps to help build back water infrastructure in a way that addresses the historical challenges that this system faced prior to the fire.”

The new funding builds on past investments to support the Village of Lytton after a devastating wildfire destroyed most of the village during summer 2021. Past funding included $9.3 million to support ongoing Village operations and early recovery, and $18.4 million to assist in debris removal, archeological work and soil remediation for all properties in the village.

“We know there’s a lot of work that still needs to be done, but this new funding is a significant step toward recovery,” said Roly Russell, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development. “We recognize that the village is an important service hub for several surrounding communities, including the Lytton First Nation. Our government has been there as a partner for the Village of Lytton since Day 1, as we have been with the Lytton First Nation and the Nlaka’pamux Nation Tribal Council, and we’re going to keep moving forward together as we ensure that the community has the resources it needs to rebuild.”

The village site is expected to be ready for the next phases of rebuilding, such as planning and permitting, in the fall.