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Enterprise residents likely to return 3-4 days after Hay River; mayor working on housing

Enterprise residents whose houses are still standing can expect to return three to four days after Hay River residents, according to Mayor Michael St. Amour. And officials are working to secure temporary housing in Hay River for people who lost their homes.  

Mayor toured the hamlet with ministers on Monday

CBC News ·
an aerial view of fire rubble
An aerial photo of Enterprise in late August, after a wildfire tore through the community. Mayor Mike St Amour is motivated to rebuild, he said, but when that can begin remains unclear. (Tyson Koschik/CBC)

Enterprise, N.W.T., residents whose houses are still standing can expect to return three to four days after Hay River residents, according to Mayor Michael St. Amour.

And officials are working to secure temporary housing in Hay River for people who lost their homes.  

"Re-entry will be three or four days after Hay River, because all of our services come from Hay River," St. Amour told CBC's Trailbreaker Wednesday morning.

"Our power grid is totally gone. That would be another reason for us not calling a re-entry plan yet."

The wildfire that continues to threaten parts of the South Slave region destroyed around 90 per cent of the hamlet of approximately 120 people last month.

Smiling man outdoors.
Michael St. Amour pauses for a photo. (Carla Ulrich/CBC)

St. Amour toured the remains of the community on Monday with federal Minister of Emergency Preparedness Harjit Sajjan and territorial Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs Shane Thompson.

"It's always hard because most of the residents are friends," St. Amour said of the visit.

"And we're a really close knit community, and every time I see the devastation, it's a hard blow. It doesn't get easier."

St. Amour restated his frustration with the territorial government, emphasizing once again that he only learned of a South Slave East emergency management meeting in August because of a phone call from K'atl'odeeche First Nation Chief April Martel. 

He jumped on the meeting and declared an emergency immediately afterwards, then started preparing people to evacuate, he said. 

Asked how the government officials responded to those complaints, St. Amour said, "They said they'd look into the shortcomings and make it right."

Asked how confident he was that they would live up to those assurances, he said that council met on Tuesday night and made progress on getting land title for residents who currently lease. 

"So now they're one step closer to owning their properties," he said. "It will relieve the pressures from rebuilding if you have your own insurance." 

with files from Jared Monkman

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