TNRD 2017 Wildfire Economic Recovery
Transcript of TNRD 2017 Wildfire Economic Recovery
TNRD Economic Recovery
Recovery Work Plan
and Recovery Needs: January 5th, 2018
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Submitted to: The Thompson Nicola Regional District Prepared by: O’Leary and Associates Ltd. Project Contact: Colin O’Leary 250-299-3631 [email protected] With support from: Jamie Mayes [email protected] Aleece Laird Amplify Consulting [email protected] Pictures in this report were graciously shared by the Thompson-Nicola Film Commission.
© O’Leary and Associates Ltd. Reproduction is authorized provided the source is acknowledged.
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Table of Contents
Background ................................................................................................................................................... 5
What is Recovery?..................................................................................................................................... 5
Recovery Components: ............................................................................................................................. 6
This recovery work plan and report was accomplished through three main activities: .......................... 6
Key Findings: ................................................................................................................................................. 7
Estimated Economic Loss: ......................................................................................................................... 8
Summary of Gap Analysis: ............................................................................................................................ 9
Possible Short-Medium term Recovery Actions ....................................................................................... 9
Possible Long term Recovery Actions ..................................................................................................... 10
Recommendations for the TNRD: ............................................................................................................... 12
Recommended Short-Medium term Recovery Actions: ......................................................................... 12
Recommended Medium-Long term Recovery Actions: .......................................................................... 13
Findings from Online Survey and Community Engagement Sessions.................................................................... 14
Types of Businesses Affected by the Wildfires in the TNRD ................................................................... 15
Cause of Economic Loss due to Wildfires for Businesses in the TNRD ................................................... 17
TNRD Businesses Economic Recovery Needs ......................................................................................... 20
Quantify an Estimate of the Economic Loss ............................................................................................... 28
Gap Analysis, Opportunities and Recommendations ................................................................................. 35
Short-Medium term Recovery Actions ................................................................................................... 36
Long term Recovery Actions ................................................................................................................... 40
Summary of Current Economic Recovery Programs ................................................................................... 42
Red Cross Phase 2 - Additional Financial Assistance .............................................................................. 42
Red Cross Community Partnerships Grant ............................................................................................. 42
Canada Small Business Finance Program ................................................................................................ 42
Employment Assistance Work Sharing Program .................................................................................... 43
Community Futures Sun Country BC Wildfire Response and Recovery Loan Program .......................... 43
Community Futures Sun Country Business Ambassadors Program for Wildfire Recovery .................... 43
Small Business BC – BC Wildfire Resources for Small Business and “Ask the Expert” ............................ 43
Agri-Recovery Program ........................................................................................................................... 43
Farm Business Recovery Advisory Services Program .............................................................................. 44
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Advanced Payments Program ........................................................ 44
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2017 British Columbia AgriStability Enhancement Program .................................................................. 44
BC Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Wildfire Initiatives ................................................................. 44
Mental Health Support Programs: .......................................................................................................... 44
Tax Relief Programs: ............................................................................................................................... 45
Environmental Recovery Programs: ....................................................................................................... 45
Recovery Work plan (Methodology) ........................................................................................................... 46
Phase 1 – Project Launch ........................................................................................................................ 46
Phase 2 - Planning, Logistics and Communications Strategy .................................................................. 46
Task 2.2: Wildfire Recovery Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis Survey ......................................... 47
Task 2.3: Community Engagement Session Planning.......................................................................... 47
Task 2.4: Operational Planning ........................................................................................................... 47
Phase 3 - Community Engagement - Needs Assessment ........................................................................ 48
Task 3.1: Roll out the coordinated marketing plan utilizing various media channels ........................ 48
Task 3.2: First Round of Community Engagement Sessions ............................................................... 48
Phase 4 – Data and Gap Analysis ............................................................................................................ 49
Task 4.1: Compile Data from Online Survey and Community Sessions .............................................. 49
Task 4.2: Gap Analysis ......................................................................................................................... 49
Phase 5 - Validation and Second Round of Community Engagement .................................................... 49
Task 5.1: Validation of Draft Findings ................................................................................................. 49
Task 5.2: Coordination with other stakeholders ................................................................................. 49
Task 5.3: Second phase of community engagement - presentation of findings ................................. 50
Phase 6 - Creation of Final Disaster Recovery Plan ................................................................................. 50
Gap Analysis Outcomes: ............................................................................................................................. 51
Possible Short-Medium term Recovery Actions ..................................................................................... 51
Possible Long term Recovery Actions ..................................................................................................... 53
Recommendations for the TNRD: ............................................................................................................... 54
Recommended Short-Medium term Recovery Actions: ......................................................................... 54
Recommended Medium-Long term Recovery Actions: .......................................................................... 55
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Appendix 1.0: Recovery Work Plan Table ................................................................................................... 56
Appendix 2.0: Short-Medium term Recovery Actions ................................................................................ 57
Appendix 3.1: Community Marketing Posters ............................................................................................ 59
Appendix 3.2: Mail Drop Postcard .............................................................................................................. 60
Appendix 4.0: Online Survey Questions...................................................................................................... 61
Business Information .................................................................................................................................. 61
Support Resources ...................................................................................................................................... 62
Economic Impact ......................................................................................................................................... 63
Recovery...................................................................................................................................................... 65
Appendix 5.0: Detailed List of Recovery Resources for Businesses ............................................................ 67
The Canadian Red Cross & Province of BC Emergency Financial Support to Small Businesses, Not-for-
Profit Organizations and First Nations Cultural Livelihoods ....................................................................... 67
Red Cross Phase 1 - Emergency Financial Assistance ............................................................................. 67
Red Cross Phase 2 - Additional Financial Assistance .............................................................................. 68
Red Cross Community Partnerships Grant ............................................................................................. 69
Canadian Small Business Finance Program ................................................................................................. 71
Employment Assistance Work Sharing Program ........................................................................................ 72
Community Futures Sun Country BC Wildfire Response and Recovery Loan Program .............................. 73
Business Ambassadors Program for Wildfire Recovery .............................................................................. 73
Rural Dividend Grant for Wildfire Recovery Initiatives ............................................................................... 74
Small Business BC – BC Wildfire Resources for Small Business and “Ask the Expert” ................................ 75
AGRI Recovery Program .............................................................................................................................. 76
Farm Business Recovery Advisory Services Program .................................................................................. 77
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Advanced Payments Program ............................................................ 78
2017 British Columbia AgriStability Enhancement Program ...................................................................... 79
BC Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Wildfire Initiatives ..................................................................... 80
BC Wildfire Service: Claims for the 2017 fire season .................................................................................. 80
Mental Health Support Programs: .............................................................................................................. 81
Tax Relief Programs: ................................................................................................................................... 82
Environmental Recovery Programs: ........................................................................................................... 82
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Section 1: Executive Summary Background As the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) and its business owners move from response to
recovery after a devastating wildfire season, the TNRD is taking a series of steps to help businesses with
that recovery process. Most significantly, the TNRD has hired a Community Economic Recovery Manager
to coordinate efforts with business owners who suffered negative economic impacts due to the 2017
wildfires.
A number of areas throughout the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) were impacted by wildfires
during the summer of 2017. The areas hardest hit in 2017 included Boston Flats with the loss of 45
residences, the Loon Lake community with the loss of 40 residences, and the Pressy Lake area with the
loss of 33 residences. This property damage and loss is not inclusive of all of the damage that was
suffered throughout the region to important infrastructure, such as hydro and telecommunications.1
After the wildfires had subsided and residents were allowed to return, the TNRD took immediate steps
to help property owners quickly dispose of fire-damaged materials. This included temporarily waiving
disposal fees for fridges/freezers and food; coordinating pickup of fridges/freezers; setting up temporary
disposal locations for debris; and offering one-on-one assistance to landowners.2
Now, the TNRD is looking to help business owners who were adversely affected by the economics with
the recovery process. This was accomplished through multiple community engagement sessions, data
collection to facilitate in the quantification of economic loss in the region, a survey of existing programs
and support, a gap analysis and recommendations for support programs going forward, which is
summarized in this report.
What is Recovery? Recovery is the restoration, re-development, and /or rehabilitation of facilities, livelihoods and living
conditions of economically impacted populations to a level that meets – or in some cases improves upon –
the original condition. Recovery planning is a legislated component of community emergency preparedness
planning under the Emergency Program Act (Section 6.2).
Recovery is a three-stage process: short term recovery or incident stabilization, medium term recovery and
long term recovery. Short term recovery activities include assessing damages, providing temporary housing
and restoring essential services. In contrast, long term recovery is reflected by a return to normal routines and
permanent reconstruction efforts that may include improvements to promote a more resilient community.
The extent of the recovery process should reflect the scope and scale of the economic impact2.
1 TNRD Press Release, September 12, 2017 – 12:00 p.m.: Wildfire Damage in the TNRD
2 TNRD Press Release, November 8th, 2017: TNRD Hires Manager to Help with Fire Recovery
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When moving through these stages, the impacted communities will need to:
1. Set priorities and objectives for recovery;
2. Articulate the roles and responsibilities of all involved;
3. Set realistic milestones for gauging how much progress has been made; and,
4. Ensure the effective transfer of knowledge, expertise, services and support.
Recovery Components: Emergency Management British Columbia (EMBC) and the Community Wildfire Recovery and Provincial
Disaster Recovery Branches of the Ministry of Forest Lands Natural Resource Operations and Rural
Development (FLNRORD) have outlined four recovery components in the Recovery Work Plan and
Recovery Needs: A Guide for Community Wildfire Recovery Planning Document. These foundational
components are as follows:
People: Ensuring the right resources are available to support the overall physical, mental and
social well- being of economically impacted communities, municipalities, First Nations, families
and individual British Columbians.
Economy: To nurture an environment that supports the rehabilitation of and reinvestment in
disrupted economies and businesses.
Environment: To protect and re-establish the environment to a healthy state and mitigate long-
term environmental effects and risks.
Reconstruction: To enable the safe and orderly restoration of damaged infrastructure within
impacted areas.
This report and the actions summarized within it are focused almost exclusively on Economic Recovery
in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.
This recovery work plan and report was accomplished through three main activities:
1. Actively engaging the business community affected by the 2017 wildfire season in the TNRD.
This was accomplished through eight in-person, facilitated community engagement sessions
which were supported by an active marketing campaign.
2. Data from the community sessions and an online survey was then used to estimate the
economic loss in the region, identify the existing recovery resources and undertake a gap
analysis to identify opportunities for additional recovery programs or support.
3. This information was then compiled into this report which outlines recommendations for
possible programs or actions that the TNRD (or other agencies) could take undertake to offer
effective support to businesses needing assistance to recover from the 2017 wildfire season.
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Key Findings: This section will summarize very briefly some of the key findings from both the online survey as well as
the community engagement sessions. Further information and any figures referenced can be found in
“Section 2: Technical Report”.
With the use of business licence data (where available) and local area knowledge, it was estimated that
there are a total of 492 businesses in the study area. Of the 492 businesses, it was estimated that 457
of them were impacted in some way by the 2017 wildfires.
The top five industry sectors represented in this study are: Accommodation and Food Services;
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting; Retail Trade; “Other Services”; Arts, Entertainment and
Recreation; and Construction. These five accounted for nearly 85% of the total representation of
businesses in the online survey.
Most businesses surveyed (~75%) typically have annual revenues below $250,000 per year (Figure 2.0)
and 85% of them have ten or fewer employees. Just over 40% of the businesses captured in this
recovery initiative are owner/operators (Figure 3).
This is representative of BC’s economy which is comprised of 98% small businesses (as defined by 50
employees or less) of which approximately 51% of those small businesses are categorized as owners
without paid help (Figure 4)3.
Overwhelmingly the economic loss suffered by businesses in the TNRD due to the wildfires of 2017
was related to business interruption. Only 16% of businesses engaged in the initiative indicated that
their business loss was attributed to direct fire damage.
When businesses in the survey were asked if they were aware of business interruption insurance, 62%
said yes (Figure 7). Of the respondents who said yes, only 14% of the businesses indicated that they had
successfully made a claim (Figure 8). This means that only 8.5% of businesses surveyed held business
interruption insurance AND were able to successfully make a claim.
Of the businesses that had or were aware of business interruption insurance, 47% indicated that they
were not able to make a claim. When prompted further about why not, the responses generally fell into
the following categories:
The losses were not enough to make it worthwhile putting in a claim;
There was no “insurable loss” for a variety of reasons as defined by the insurance providers;
Putting in a claim was too complicated;
The deductible was too high; and,
The insurance is too cost prohibitive for a small business.
3 BC Stats Small Business Profile 2017 calculated using data supplied by Statistics Canada
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Only 42% of businesses engaged indicated that they had successfully participated in an economic
recovery program despite the fact that eligibility is much higher. About 19% indicated that they were
aware but had not yet applied and 39% of businesses indicated that they had not participated in any
support programs (Figure 10). Generally the data indicates a persistent lack of awareness about the
existing recovery programs and that there is still underutilization of existing programs.
When businesses were asked if they had an emergency plan, nearly two thirds (61%) reported that
they did not (Figure 13). A business emergency response plan is a document designed to help small
business owners plan and prepare for emergencies that could interrupt operations. Business emergency
response plans have been proven to make a difference in how effectively a business responds to and
recovers from a disaster.
Businesses and communities are interested in having assistance with disaster planning now, as a proactive measure, before the next disaster strikes. Other key themes were centered on faster response and communication.
When asked if business owners would like to know more about programs and services that could help
their business with economic recovery, there was an overwhelming response of “yes” (Figure 15).
Estimated Economic Loss: The estimated total loss of sales due to wildfires in the study area was over $21 Million (see page 26).
The estimated total lost hours of employment due to wildfires in the study area was almost 100,000
hours, resulting in a very conservative estimate of just over $1 Million in lost wages. Thirty percent of
respondents indicated that they had to engage in some form of lay-offs.
The estimated total direct economic loss due to wildfires to date in the study area was almost $31
Million, and this number is expected to grow. 42% of businesses anticipate further economic loss in
2018 and beyond because of the 2017 wildfires (see Figure 19).
It should be mentioned that not all businesses were affected negatively. Some businesses, which were
able to stay open and were located in an area where road or access closures were not affecting their
ability to service customers, actually did substantially better compared to previous years. Examples
include gas stations, convenience stores and some accommodations that were able to service people
who were being evacuated or service wildfire support agencies such as the RCMP or firefighters.
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Summary of Gap Analysis: The following sections have been divided into short to medium term recovery recommendations and
long term recovery recommendations. These are findings from the study and reflect the opinions and
data collected from the businesses in the TNRD. These are only brief summaries of the
recommendations, further detail can be found in “Section 2: Technical Report”.
It is understood that although the TNRD has completed this initial recovery work plan and gap
analysis, it is unlikely that they will be able to take on all of the recommendations listed below. One
key reason for this is that some of these findings lay clearly outside of the jurisdiction or scope of the
TNRD. That being said, this information will still prove to be very valuable for other recovery
organizations. By sharing this data and document, the TNRD can immediately help business owners with
recovery by providing valuable on-the-ground information regarding business recovery needs to other
organizations, saving them the time and resources of duplicating the same effort.
Possible Short-Medium term Recovery Actions
Marketing and promotion of the area to help the tourism sector recover. The top five industry sectors
represented in this data accounted for nearly 80% of the total businesses and they were all related to
tourism or impacted by tourism.
Development of a one-on-one direct assistance program to help businesses recover by providing
services such as:
Navigation and awareness in a constantly changing recovery program landscape;
To act as a single point of contact for businesses when it comes to recovery; and,
To assist with application forms and processes to access recovery initiatives.
Continued promotion of the existing recovery programs in an easy to read and simplified format,
which should be made available on the TNRD website, on social media and through mail drops. Data
would seem to indicate that the existing recovery programs are not being utilized to their fullest extent
due to lack of awareness.
Additional grant programs should be considered to cover recovery expenses. Some examples include:
To help with expenses related to animals that do not qualify as livestock but are directly
attributed to business activities (miniature horse breeding, geldings, etc.);
To help with hiring or employee wages;
To help with more general recovery and cleanup expenses; and,
To help municipalities with post-fire economic development.
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Explore the possibility of local lenders offering low or no-interest loans to help businesses with
operating and recovery capital. Many businesses in the TNRD count on the peak season to survive the
off-season. The wildfires in 2017 heavily impacted the income generated during the peak season and in
some cases resulted in additional expenses. Many businesses will need an influx of capital to survive
until the next peak season.
Special provisions should be considered around variances and permittingto enable businesses to
rebuild and recover as soon as possible. Focus should be put on red tape reduction and expedited
process with possible special variances as long as public health and safety, and environmental
protection are not compromised.
Provide support to assist businesses with the creation of an emergency response and business
continuity plan. Business emergency response and continuity plans have been proven to make a
difference in how effectively a business responds to and recovers from a disaster. Almost two thirds of
businesses surveyed reported that they do not have an emergency plan.
Best efforts should be made to continually improve the wildfire-specific, integrated media and communications strategy or plan for the TNRD for the next fire season. Now is the time to make a plan and strategy while there are no disasters currently underway and there is more time to think and strategize. Stakeholder engagement should include community leaders, wildfire management agencies, private industry, different levels of government as well as media representatives. This could include a provision to hire a specific communications manager to collect information from various organizations and agencies, coordinate a response and disseminate information to businesses as a single point of contact during future disasters.
Possible Long term Recovery Actions Commitment to a long term marketing and promotion campaign to revive the tourism sector. The impact from the wildfires will likely last over multiple years and so a sustained long-term commitment to marketing and promotion will be needed to assist the tourism sector to recover and grow. Best efforts should be made to continually improve the programs to assist local governments and First Nations governments with preparedness efforts such as an integrated emergency management plan (such as those offered through EMBC). The planning process should include larger companies that operate in the backcountry, such as logging and tourism organizations, emergency response agencies, various levels of government, etc. Efforts could include fuel reduction programs, policy and procedures for when an emergency takes place, communications plans, etc.
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The creation of post-fire economic development incentives to promote the recovery and expansion of existing businesses as well as attracting new businesses to diversify the existing economies. Specific suggestions included tax incentives, entrepreneur support, and attraction campaigns. The development of long term tax relief and grant programs. It is suggested that programs be developed to continue over a two to three year period in order to promote more sustained growth and development. Recovery will likely take multiple years and therefore recovery measures should be put in place to take into account these timeframes. Investigate policy development and best practices around alternative insurance solutions. Best practices in other parts of the world, such as New Zealand should be reviewed to see if there are plausible alternatives to help businesses secure better insurance coverage for wildfire disasters. Take measures (such as geotechnical stability studies) to reduce further environmentally driven economic impacts (such as flooding, slides, or debris torrents) as well as undertake environmental remediation measures such as noxious weed control and reseeding.
Explore the possibility of purchasing and installing multiple “web-cams” (similar to those used on major highways) throughout the region including in the parks. This will enable residents, officials, and tourists to see firsthand in real-time the conditions in the TNRD. This can help to market the region to tourists, become a source of information for locals, help control misinformation, and give real-time pictures on the ground during emergencies.
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Recommendations for the TNRD: Given the jurisdiction, scope and resources of the TNRD not all of the identified recovery actions will
be possible. Therefore, the following recommendations have been made balancing business recovery
impact with most pragmatic measures the TNRD could undertake. This does not mean that other
recovery actions listed above should not be initiated; instead the following recommendations are based
on the best information available at the time.
Recommended Short-Medium term Recovery Actions:
Continued promotion of the existing recovery programs in an easy to read and simplified format,
which should be made available on the TNRD website, on social media and through mail drops. Data
indicates that the existing recovery programs are not being utilized to their fullest extent due to lack of
awareness.
Note: Community Futures Sun Country Business Ambassadors Program for Wildfire Recovery is
addressing this need, but not for the whole of the TNRD. Effort should be made to expand the
program to cover unaddressed areas.
Special provisions should be considered around variances and permitting to enable businesses to
rebuild and recover as soon as possible. Focus should be put on red tape reduction and expedited
process with possible special variances as long as public health and safety, and environmental
protection are not compromised.
Note: The TNRD Board of Directors have already taken measures to reduce building permit and
planning application fees by 50% and directed the acceleration of application processing for
wildfire impacted property owners. Additionally, the Board will be considering a new zoning for
“dry cabins” and will be lobbying the provincial government for relief and Building Code changes
for seasonal cabin rebuilds.
Investigate the idea of providing support to assist businesses with the creation of an emergency response and business continuity plan. Business emergency response and continuity plans have been proven to make a difference in how effectively a business responds to and recovers from a disaster. Almost two thirds of businesses surveyed reported that they do not have an emergency plan.
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Recommended Medium-Long term Recovery Actions:
Best efforts should be made to continually improve the wildfire-specific, integrated media and communications strategy or plan for the TNRD for the next fire season. Now is the time to make a plan and strategy while there are no disasters currently underway and there is more time to think and strategize. Possible actions could include stakeholder engagement with community leaders, wildfire management agencies, private industry, different levels of government as well as media representatives. This could include a provision to hire a specific communications manager to collect information from various organizations and agencies, coordinate a response and disseminate information to businesses as a single point of contact during future disasters.
Work to continually improve existing programs which assist communities with preparedness efforts such as an Integrated Emergency Management Plan. The planning process could include larger companies that operate in the backcountry, such as logging and tourism organizations, emergency response agencies, various levels of government, etc. Efforts could include fuel reduction programs, policy and procedures for when an emergency takes place, communications plans, etc.
Note: The Red Cross Community Partnerships Grant could possibly cover some expenses related
to the development of a program to assist communities with preparedness efforts such as an
integrated emergency management plan. Further investigation should be done if this
recommendation is to proceed.
Take measures (such as geotechnical stability studies) to reduce further environmentally driven economic impacts (such as flooding, slides, or debris torrents) as well as undertake environmental remediation measures such as noxious weed control and reseeding.
Note: The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development’s
(FLNRORD) recovery plans include immediate efforts related to rehabilitation from wildfires and
firefighting, such as trail restoration, grass seeding and assessing slopes for stability. Any such
efforts should be done in coordination with FLNRORD.
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Section 2: Technical Report
Findings from Online Survey and Community Engagement Sessions
The data collected can be broadly defined in 4 major groups: information about the businesses affected
by the wildfires, the support resources they are aware of currently, the economic impact of the
wildfires, and how the TNRD can assist with recovery.
Overall 112 online responses were collected from late November to the end of December 2017. These
were complimented by twelve different community engagement sessions.
Through business licence data (where available) and local area knowledge it was estimated that there
were 492 businesses. Of the 492 businesses it was estimated that 457 of them were impacted in some
way by the 2017 wildfires.
Total Affected
70 Mile House and Area* 37 37
Ashcroft 125 117
Cache Creek 112 112
Clearwater 218 191
492 457
* Including: South Green Lake, Pressy Lake, Egan Lake, Big Bar area, Loon Lake, Maiden Creek and 20 Mile
With a sample size of 112 and a population size of 457, this data is statistically significant, representing a
95% confidence level and 8.1% confidence interval. In other words, there is a 95% chance that the data
in the report is representative of the population as a whole, plus or minus 8.1%.
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Types of Businesses Affected by the Wildfires in the TNRD Businesses affected by the 2017 wildfires in the TNRD ranged dramatically from Garlic Farms to
Museums, Vineyards to Architectural Consulting, and Adventure Tourism to Retail.
This being said, the top five industry sectors, as defined by Statistics Canada, represent nearly 85% of
the total representation in the online survey. These industry sectors were, in order from largest to
smallest:
Accommodation and Food Services, which includes RV resorts, hotels, motels and restaurants;
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, which includes fishing and hunting lodges, farming,
ranching, etc.;
Retail Trade which includes gas stations, grocery stores, and other storefronts;
“Other Services” which includes businesses primarily engaged in repairing, or performing
general or routine maintenance on motor vehicles, machinery, equipment and other products to
ensure that they work efficiently; providing personal care services, funeral services, laundry
services and other services to individuals;
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation, which includes establishments primarily engaged in
operating facilities or providing services to meet the cultural, entertainment and recreational
interests of their patrons; and,
Construction.
The full industry sector representation is outlined in the table below (Figure 1).
0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00% 30.00% 35.00%
Accommodation and Food Services
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
Retail Trade
Other Services (except Public Administration)
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
Construction
Finance and Insurance
Transportation and Warehousing
Health Care and Social Assistance
Information and Cultural Industries
Manufacturing
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing
Management of Companies and Enterprises
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
Public Administration
Wholesale Trade
Figure 1: Please select the Industry Sector which best represents your business:
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Most businesses surveyed (nearly 75%) have annual revenues below $250,000 per year (Figure 2.0) and
85% of them have ten or fewer employees. Out of this 85%, just over 40% of the businesses captured in
this recovery initiative are owner/operators (Figure 3).
0.00%
10.00%
20.00%
30.00%
40.00%
50.00%
60.00%
70.00%
80.00%
less than $250,000/year between $250,000 and$499,999/year
between $500,000 and$999,999/year
More than $1 million/year
Figure 2: What are the typical annual revenues (sales) for your business?
0.00% 5.00% 10.00% 15.00% 20.00% 25.00% 30.00% 35.00% 40.00% 45.00% 50.00%
26-50 paid employees
11-25 paid employees
1-10 paid employees
No paid employees
Figure 3: Number of paid employees:
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This representation is not overly surprising as BC’s economy is comprised of 98% small businesses (as
defined by 50 employees or less) and approximately 51% of those small businesses are owners without
paid help (Figure 4)4.
Cause of Economic Loss due to Wildfires for Businesses in the TNRD Overwhelmingly the economic losses suffered by businesses in the TNRD due to the wildfires of 2017
were related to business interruption. Only 16.09% of businesses engaged in the initiative indicated that
their business loss was attributed to direct fire damage.
Instead, over 80% of businesses reported that road closures were the biggest cause of interruption.
These closures prevented customers from accessing businesses, prevented owners from accessing their
own businesses, prevented suppliers from bringing supplies, or shipping companies from bringing
finished goods or produce out of the region.
This was followed by losses arriving from Evacuation Orders (54.02%) and Evacuation Alerts (59.77%)
which had a similar impact to the road closures, but was defined by areas rather than infrastructure
(Figure 5). In addition to direct lack of access, the evacuation orders and alerts drove fear, which further
decreased customer activity and bookings.
All of this happened during the peak season for many of the businesses in the TNRD, intensifying the
financial impact of the wildfires.
4 BC Stats Small Business Profile 2017 calculated using data supplied by Statistics Canada
Figure 4: Breakdown of Businesses in
British Columbia, 2016
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Business interruption insurance is a form of insurance designed to help support businesses that cannot
operate as a result of an insurable loss. For example: a fire destroys a workshop, or a flood ruins inventory.
Business interruption insurance typically covers fixed expenses – utilities, taxes and even employee wages
– and includes Business Income Insurance, to cover any loss of earnings. This form of insurance is different
from property insurance which typically covers the cost of replacing buildings, equipment or materials.
80.46%
12.64%17.24% 16.09%
54.02%
59.77%
Road or accessclosure
Loss ofinfrastructure
Loss of naturalresources
Direct fire damage Evacuation Orders Evacuation Alerts
Figure 5: Were the losses a result of road closures, loss of infrastructure, loss of natural resources, direct fire damage or because of an evacuation order or alert (check all that apply)?
61.90%
38.10%
0.00% 10.00% 20.00% 30.00% 40.00% 50.00% 60.00% 70.00%
Yes
No
Figure 7: Are you Aware of Business Interruption Insurance?
Yes
No
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When businesses in the survey were asked if they were aware of business interruption insurance, only
61.9% said yes (Figure 7). Of the respondents who said yes, only 13.7% of the businesses indicated that
they had successfully made a claim (Figure 8). This means that in total only 8.48% of businesses
surveyed held business interruption insurance and were able to successfully make a claim.
Of the businesses that had or were aware of business interruption insurance, 46.58% indicated that they
were not able to make a claim. When prompted further about why not, the responses generally fell into
the following categories:
The losses were not enough to make it worthwhile putting in a claim.
There was no insurable loss for a variety of reasons including:
o no structures were lost or damaged;
o not on evacuation order or alert ; and,
o impacts from road closures were not covered.
Putting in a claim was too complicated.
The deductible was too high.
The insurance is too cost prohibitive for a small business.
It should be mentioned that not all businesses were affected negatively. Some businesses, which were
able to stay open and were located in an area where road or access closures were not affecting their
ability to service customers, actually did substantially better compared to previous years. Examples
include gas stations, convenience stores and some accommodations that were able to service people
who were being evacuated or service wildfire support agencies such as the RCMP or firefighters.
13.70%
46.58%
0.00%
5.00%
10.00%
15.00%
20.00%
25.00%
30.00%
35.00%
40.00%
45.00%
50.00%
Yes No
Figure 8: If you answered yes to the question above, did you use your Business Interruption Insurance?
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TNRD Businesses Economic Recovery Needs
A number of different questions were asked both in the community engagement sessions and in the
online survey regarding both the awareness of and uptake in existing recovery programs. These
questions were asked in order to gather data for a gap analysis which will be used to determine if there
are businesses needs for recovery which are not currently being met by existing recovery programs; and
to determine if there are existing recovery programs, which address current economic recovery needs in
the TNRD, which are being underutilized.
The first question asked was based around awareness of the major recovery initiatives that are currently
operating. By far the greatest awareness was for the Red Cross Initiatives, followed by the Small
Business BC Wildfire Support Program, and then the Agriculture Support Programs (Figure 9).
35.29%
21.18%
71.76%
61.18%
45.88%
10.59%
Red Cross Community Partnerships Grant
AGRI Recovery program
Red Cross Phase 1
Red Cross Phase 2
Small Business BC – BC Wildfire Resources
The Advanced Payments Program (Agri-Food Canada)
Figure 9: Have you heard of the following programs (please check all that apply):
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Despite this apparent awareness, there were a large number of individuals who indicated that they were not
aware of many of these programs. Given the marketing effort and community engagement efforts of these
groups, it is surprising that there is still some lack of awareness about the support services being offered.
Further, only 41.7% of businesses surveyed indicated that they had successfully participated in an
economic recovery program. About 19% indicated that they were aware but had not yet applied and
39.2% of businesses indicated that they had not participated in any support programs (Figure 10).
41.77%
39.24%
18.99%
Yes
No
Have not yet applied
Figure 10: Have you been able to participate in any economic recovery programs?
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
I am unable to findfunding to assist mybusiness to recover
I do not meet theeligibility
requirements ofprograms
I don't feel mybusiness was impacted
like others' were
I do not have capacityto complete the
application
I do not think I ameligible
Figure 11: Why have you not been able to participate in any economic recovery programs?
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When asked why they have not been able to participate, the following reasons were given:
I am unable to find funding to assist my business to recover (approx. 40%);
I do not meet the eligibility requirements of programs (approx. 35%);
I don't feel my business was impacted as severely as others or There are other businesses that
could use it more (approx. 9%);
I do not have the capacity to complete the application (approx. 7%); and,
I don’t think I am eligible (approx. 9%).
These responses indicate a lack of awareness about the existing recovery programs and that there is still
a massive underutilization (nearly half of the businesses in the TNRD) of existing programs.
The responses which indicated that businesses were unable to find funding to support their recovery are
probably much more indicative of not being able to find a program which would provide coverage for
the full economic loss experienced due to the wildfires. Interactions with business owners during the
community engagement sessions further support this conclusion as many comments were made
regarding the current funding available being far less than the total amount of economic loss incurred.
The 35% of respondents who indicated that they did not meet the eligibility requirements is probably
also over-represented as Phase 2 of the Canadian Red Cross support initiative is extremely inclusive
(Figure 11). However, eligibility requirements have changed since the program was first launched. This is
likely fueling the misconception that businesses are not eligible, when in fact they are. Once again
during the community sessions, there were multiple examples of instances where business owners in
the room indicated they were not eligible for Phase 2 of the Canadian Red Cross support initiative. Yet,
with further discussion (including with the Canadian Red Cross representative at the sessions), it was
found that they were in fact eligible.
When business owners affected by the wildfire in the TNRD were asked their opinion of what gaps exist
for recovery, there was a wide variety of answers, but generally seven distinct themes emerged as
outlined by figure 12:
Marketing and promotion of the region for the coming tourism season (31%);
Some forms of additional monetary assistance in the form of grants (26%);
Better communication and awareness of support initiatives (14%);
Better support to help them access business recovery initiatives (12%);
Some sort of interim financing, ideally interest free loans (10%);
Lenience or reduction of red tape around permitting and licensing (4%); and,
Some sort of lobbying or regulation of insurance companies to make business interruption
insurance more affordable and to ensure that coverage is being honored (3%).
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Some of the more specific suggestions included:
Help with remediation of burned infrastructure or the clean-up of fire retardant on private
property;
Changing policy, regulation, and legislation so that the B.C. Emergency Program Act or Disaster
Financial Assistance could better help businesses affected by the wildfire in the TNRD;
Emergency planning improvements to better prepare for future wildfires; and,
Variance to building code making it possible to rebuild business infrastructure at a previous
location or to help manage upgrading to current code standards.
After reviewing numerous wildfire economic recovery initiatives throughout North America, one key
component began to stand out: the development of a Business Emergency Response and Continuity
Plan.
A Business Emergency Response and Continuity Plan is a document designed to help small business
owners plan and prepare for emergencies that could interrupt operations. They typically outline policies
and procedures that come into play once a disaster strikes. More importantly, they get business owners
thinking (in a non-emergency setting) what are the major risk factors that could impact their business,
the basic needs and functions of the business, and how to best preserve them. They can develop a
business evacuation plan, a plan on how the business could continue to operate remotely, an
emergency communications plan, and decide how to protect and manage critical business information.
Better communication14%
Support to access resources
12%
Marketing for coming tourism season
31%Loans
(interest free)10%
Additional Monetary Assistance
26%
Lobbying/regulating insurance companies
3%
Permitting process4%
Figure 12: In your opinion what gaps exist for recovery for business owners affected by the wildfire in the TNRD?
Better communication
Support to access resources
Marketing for coming tourism season
Loans (interest free)
Additional Monetary Assistance
Lobbying/regulating insurance companies
Permitting process
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Business Emergency Response and Continuity Plans have been proven to make a difference in how
effectively a business responds to and recovers from a disaster and there are many templates available
for businesses to use, including one from PreparedBC5.
When businesses were asked if they had an emergency plan, nearly two thirds (61%) reported that they did not (Figure 13). It also became apparent, during the community engagement sessions that many business owners had never even heard of or thought about an emergency plan. Those who did have an emergency plan fared much better than those who did not as they were able to either maintain some level of business or were better equipped with information to complete recovery program applications.
Interest in Business Emergency Response and Continuity Plans carried over into the next question as well which asked: What could the TNRD do in future disasters to aid in economic recovery? There was a variety of thoughts and comments, but the majority of the responses followed six key themes as outlined in the chart below (Figure 14). Businesses are interested in having the TNRD assist them and their communities with disaster planning now, as a proactive measure, before the next disaster strikes (11%). Other key themes were centered on faster response (16%) and improving communication (26%). Communication has been identified a number of different times throughout this report and has been referenced in a number of different ways. Improved communication between all of the different agencies, levels of government, and businesses was the most cited at 26%. The general feeling was that all of these different organizations had different messaging, different timing, different access points, and different rules and were generally not coordinating with each other, leading to confusion and further misinformation.
5 PreparedBC, Emergency Plan for Small Businesses: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/embc/preparedbc/preparedbc_small_business_plan_web.pdf
Yes39%
No61%
Figure 13: Do you have a business emergency plan?
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“Communication” also includes media communications and helping to control the information that is broadcasted by the media or correct inaccurate reports (7%). Not surprisingly, it was generally felt that the media tended to “sensationalize” and focus on the devastation. The result was the projection of devastation on a much larger scale to the rest of the world. There were consistent comments that European tourists and event tourists from outside of the Thompson-Okanagan thought the whole of the province had burned down, severely impacting the tourism industry. For example, the media focused on the closure of Wells Gray Park giving the impression as if the park and area was burning. In reality Wells Gray park experienced no major fires and was largely untouched. Attention should be made in future disasters to highlight the good news and show positive images as well. Lastly, a solution identified was the need for a single point of contact (3%), which can amalgamate all of the different information streams into one source, and which could assist businesses one-on-one and help respond faster to business needs during response. Here is a comment from a business owner explaining the situation in their own words: “…there are too many organizations involved in this recovery dealing directly with business and people impacted. Red Cross, TNRD, SLRD, CCCTA, Province, etc. etc.. Perhaps, you can organize yourself so I only deal with one organization that can help me on the ground. This is the fifth survey I have completed, but I have yet to see any help beyond the initial Phase 1”.
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Single point of contact for all information and programs
Better communications management betweenagencies, government and businesses
Assist businesses and communities with an EmergencyPreparedness Plans
Faster response with support
More one on one business support
Better media relations and messaging control
Figure 14: What could the TNRD improve in future events to aid in economic recovery?
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Specific programs that were suggested to help businesses recover include:
Targeted and wide ranging tax incentives that can be advertised specifically toward sectors that have been hardest hit;
Agriculture consultants to help identify the best crops for specific soil types and the growing season in a post-fire ecology;
Programs to help businesses with disaster planning and the development of business emergency response and continuity plans;
A 'one stop shop' where businesses could go to find out what programs/relief are available;
A program to facilitate co-op marketing for specific regions to share expenses and create a unified brand, leveraging individual marketing budgets into a greater impact;
A translation program or initiative to help English as a second language business owners to participate in recovery. There are many non-native English speaking small business owners in the TNRD who will likely struggle accessing assistance.
84%
16%
Figure 15: Would you like to know more about programs and services that could help your business with economic
recovery?
Yes No
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When asked if business owners would like to know more about programs and services that could help their business with economic recovery, there was an overwhelming (85%) response of “yes” (Figure 15). Business owners were also asked what their preferred informational channel would be, which is summarized in figure 16. Based on this response, email should be used whenever possible, followed by websites, social media and mail brochures. There was also a preference for centralized workshops and face-to-face meeting, which when combined together would represent the fourth most popular option, above social media.
28.99%
15.94%
1.45%
36.23%
86.96%
7.25%2.90%
21.74%
10.14%
Mail -brochures
Centralizedworkshopsor classes
Localtelevision
InternetWebsites
E-mail NewspaperInsert
Radio Social Media Face to face
Figure 16: If you were interested in learning more, what kind of informational format would you prefer?
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Quantify an Estimate of the Economic Loss Quantifying the economic loss due to the 2017 wildfires is a challenging task as most small businesses
are not publically traded companies and therefore their financial information is not public. This is further
complicated by the fact that most business people do not want their financial information to be shared
with others, including their competitors, customers, employees, etc.
Without having a dataset that is publically accessible, the only way to get financial information from
businesses was to ask them to self-report, understanding that there is a very real risk that the
information is not accurate. This can be circumvented to some degree by taking known third party
information and comparing it to the reported numbers as an external validation.
For this we were graciously able to access the results from the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association
Economic Impact Survey, which asked similar questions, but from a different perspective. Both the
staffing and economic impact numbers from both studies were similar, indicating that they are likely
fairly accurate. As these surveys were performed at different times, from different perspectives, it is
unlikely that fabricated responses would match so closely.
When businesses were asked how 2017 would compare as a percentage to a typical year in terms of
revenues (sales), the results were relatively consistent. There were some outlying figures, but the
average response was that business was down 26% and the median response was that business was
down 30%.
Breaking this data up further in quartiles, we can see that the first quartile was down 50% and the third
quartile was down 10% as outlined in the table below:
How would you compare 2017 in terms of revenues (sales) with an average year for your business?
Average: -26%
Median: -30%
First quartile -50%
2nd quartile -30%
3rd quartile -10%
Quartiles are a useful measure of spread because they are much less affected by outliers or a skewed
data set than the equivalent measures of mean and standard deviation. For this reason, quartiles are
often reported along with the median as the best choice of measure of spread and central tendency,
respectively, when dealing with skewed and/or data with outliers. A common way of expressing
quartiles is as an interquartile range. The interquartile range describes the difference between the third
quartile (Q3) and the first quartile (Q1), telling us about the range of the middle half of the scores in the
distribution.
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This was explored further to determine the loss of sales experienced in the 2017 wildfire in an absolute
dollar amount. Once again, quartiles were used to analyze the aggregate data and are outlined in the
table below. In this circumstance there were a few outlying figures impacted the average, but the
median, quartiles and interquartile range shows a much different story and is much less spread out
(interquartile range of $57,500).
One interesting point to note is that after reviewing this data it would appear as though the funding
available through the Canadian Red Cross, Phase 2 (up to $20,000) should cover almost 100% of the
economic losses for nearly half of the business who participated in this survey (50% of businesses would
be below the median figure, which was $25,000).
Average: $ 152,610
Median: $ 25,000
First quartile $ 5,000
2nd quartile $ 25,000
3rd quartile $ 62,500
Interquartile range $ 57,500
Using the reported lost sales numbers, an estimate can be made for the total lost sales in the TNRD due to
the 2017 wildfire season. In order to do this estimation we have to assume that this sample is
representative of the loss of sales for the entire region and that our estimated figure of the number of
businesses affected by the wildfires in the study region is accurate (457). Using this information the total
reported loss of sales can be extrapolated to reflect the estimated loss in sales for the whole region:
Estimated Value of Lost Sales due to 2017 Wildfires in Study Area
Loss of Sales as reported by the survey sample $ 5,799,192
Total estimated number of businesses affected by 2017 wildfires in study area 457
Total number of businesses in survey sample 124
Estimated sample as a percentage of all businesses in study area 27.09%
Estimated total lost sales due to wildfires in study area $ 21,372,828
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Loss of sales does not paint the whole picture for economic impact as it does not include lost assets
(equipment, buildings, etc.) or loss of earnings for employees who were laid off.
Although most businesses did not lose assets, there were some reported losses in this sample including:
Hundreds of kilometers of fencing;
Numerous outbuildings;
Rental cabins and guest lodges;
Historical buildings;
Food products/feed/other supplies with a shelf life;
Equipment;
Harvestable timber; and,
Private road damage.
Assets lost18%
No Direct Fire Lost Assets82%
Figure 17: What assets (equipment, buildings, property, livestock) did your business lose in the 2017 wildfire?
Assets lost No Direct Fire Lost Assets
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Businesses were asked if they had to lay off any employees due to the wildfire. 30% of respondents
indicated that they had to engage in some form of lay-offs as summarized by Figure 18 below:
Businesses were also asked to quantify the total hours of employment lost due to the 2017 wildfires.
This information can be used to make a conservative estimate of the economic loss of wages due to the
2017 wildfires in the region. We can do this by taking the total number of lost hours of employment and
then multiply them by the minimum wage at the time ($10.85) as we know that these employees would
have been paid at least this much money. In reality, this will likely underestimate the total amount of
lost wages, but it is better to err on the side of conservatism and without employer wage data in the
region there is no other number that can be used.
Once again, in order to do this estimation we have to assume that this sample is representative of the
loss of wages for the entire region and that our estimated figure of the number of businesses affected
by the wildfires in the study region is accurate (457). Using this information the total reported loss of
wages can be extrapolated to reflect the estimated loss in wages for the whole region.
Estimated Value of Lost Wages due to 2017 Wildfires in Study Area
Lost Hours of Employment as reported by the survey sample 25,686
BC Minimum Wage prior to September 15th, 2017 $ 10.856
Total sample estimated minimum wages lost $ 278,693.10
Total estimated number of businesses affected by 2017 wildfires in study area 457
Total number of businesses in survey sample 124
Estimated sample as a percentage of all businesses in study area 27.09%
Estimated total minimum amount of wages lost due to wildfires in study area: $ 1,027,119
6 The minimum wage in BC was adjusted upwards to $11.35 on September 15th, 2017. It was assumed that the majority of the lost wage hours happened prior to this date.
Yes, 30%
No, 70%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Figure 18: Did you have to lay off any employees?
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Businesses were also asked to estimate their total economic loss (taking into account all variables) due
to the 2017 wildfire season in the TNRD. There was quite a bit of variability in the reported data as some
businesses were dramatically impacted, while others were not negatively impacted at all. Once again
quartiles were used as a way to analyze the data, which are summarized in the table below.
Looking at the data we can see that the average total direct economic impact for businesses in the TNRD
due to the 2017 wildfires has been estimated at $144,310. This being said, given the very high sample
standard deviation (indicating that the data was quite diverse) we can see that the median response was
once again around $25,000. This means that of all the businesses in the sample, half of them reported a
total direct economic loss of $25,000 or less.
Once again this would indicate that the funding available through the Canadian Red Cross, Phase 2 (up
to $20,000) should, in theory, cover almost 100% of the economic losses for nearly half of the business
who participated in this survey (50% of businesses would be below the median figure, which was
$25,000).
Average: $ 114,310.41
First quartile $ 5,000.00
2nd quartile $ 25,000.00
3rd quartile $ 100,000.00
Interquartile range $ 95,000.00
Sample Standard Deviation $ 308,963.39
Using this information, an estimate of the total direct economic loss due to the 2017 wildfires can be
calculated. We can do this by taking the total estimated direct economic loss from the sample and then
extrapolate to reflect the estimated direct total economic loss for the whole region.
Once again, in order to do this estimation we have to assume that this sample is representative of the
direct economic loss for the entire region and that our estimated figure of the number of businesses
affected by the wildfires in the study region is accurate (457).
It should be mentioned that this calculation does not take into account economic multipliers, which can
be used to approximate the indirect and induced economic impact of the direct economic impacts. In
other words this estimate, which only looks at the direct economic impact, is most likely an under-
representation of the actual economic impact in the TNRD due to the 2017 wildfires.
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Estimated Total Direct Economic Loss due to 2017 Wildfires in Study Area
Direct Economic Loss as reported by the sample survey $ 8,344,660
Total estimated number of businesses affected by 2017 wildfires in study area 457
Total number of businesses in survey sample 124
Estimated sample as a percentage of all businesses in study area 27.09%
Estimated total direct economic loss due to 2017 wildfires in study area: $ 30,754,110
Another factor to consider is that the final economic impact from the wildfires of 2017 has not yet been
realized. Businesses were asked if they anticipated further economic loss in 2018 and beyond because of
the 2017 wildfires and 42% of them said yes. Another 22% indicated that they were unsure at this time,
while only 36% seemed convinced that there would be no further economic impact (Figure 19).
Yes42%
No36%
Unknown22%
Figure 19: Do you anticipate further business loss in 2018 and subsequent years as a result of the 2017 fires?
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Some examples of the continued economic impact from both the survey and community engagement
sessions are outlined below:
Damage and loss of habitat, coupled with silt runoff to lakes and spawning streams will likely lead to future impact on fishing lodges and related businesses.
Loss of rental cabins and accommodations which cannot be rebuilt in time for the 2018 season or possibly beyond.
Loss of timber sales and pasture. Lack of pasture will cause increased costs associated with feed, feed hauling, and moving livestock.
Livestock stress during the fires has resulted in late calves, lighter weaner calves and fewer cows having calves.
Impact to the landscape will likely affect future tourism, customer enjoyment, and outdoor experiences.
Past experience seems to indicate an expected 10-15% drop in future tourism traffic for up to a decade because of widespread negative publicity during the fires.
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Gap Analysis, Opportunities and Recommendations This section will be used to summarize findings and articulate identified short, medium, and long-term
recovery needs that have emerged in the TNRD, as well as recommendations which could be adopted to
meet these needs.
One of the first questions asked with regard to recovery was of the organizations that are offering
support for economic recovery and which organizations have businesses engaged with to date. The
following tables illustrate all of the different organizations which are active players in the TNRD in the
economic recovery arena (Figure 20). This list is definitely not all inclusive as the “other” includes the
BCEDA, Rotary, Lions Clubs and other service organizations which accounted for the fourth largest
response at just over 14%. This attests to the complexity and confusion around accessing economic
recovery programs.
Overall, by far, the largest response was for the Canadian Red Cross at just over 75% awareness among
survey and community engagement session participants. Although this is high, it is still rather surprising
given the amount of time, staff and effort the Canadian Red Cross has spent on economic recovery in
the region.
After the Canadian Red Cross, awareness drops off dramatically to 20% for Community Futures, 15% for
the TNRD, and then 15% or less for all of the other organizations active in the economic recovery arena.
This data really makes evident the strong lack of awareness still present in the TNRD with regard to
economic recovery supports. There are a number of programs available to help small businesses but
they are not being used to their fullest potential. Therefore, continued focus on awareness could be the
fastest path to recovery for most businesses negatively impacted by the 2017 wildfires.
75.32%
19.48%
15.58%
14.29%
12.99%
10.39%
10.39%
5.19%
2.60%
2.60%
0.00%
The Canadian Red Cross
Community Futures
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (before now)
Other (please specify)
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association
Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations…
Destination BC
United Way
BC Cattleman’s Association
Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (TAC)
Figure 20: Have you connected with any of the following organizations with regards to economic recovery (check all
that apply):
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Short-Medium term Recovery Actions Short term recovery was defined as 3 to 6 months, and medium term was defined as 6 months to one
year. Businesses were asked specifically what they felt would help them to recover in the short term.
There were a variety of responses, but six main themes emerged, which are summarized in Figure 21.
The number one consistent message was marketing and promotion of the region to help the tourism
sector to recover. The top five industry sectors accounted for nearly 80% of the businesses and they
were all related to tourism or impacted by tourism. This is why it is not surprising that the top response
was related to supporting the marketing and promotion of the tourism sector.
The next largest response was in regards to continued awareness of support programs (approx. 30%),
which very much supports the earlier conclusion – based on economic recovery agency engagement –
that there is still a very persistent lack of awareness of the recovery programs that are available to
businesses in the TNRD. This should also be coupled with helping businesses to apply to support
programs which accounted for 12% of the responses. It is very apparent that providing businesses with
direct support to become aware of, and apply to, recovery programs would be very beneficial in
accelerating the recovery effort.
Funding to replace lost income (in the form of grants) and interim lending at low or no- interest rates
were identified at 29% and 21% respectfully. Comments during the community engagement sessions
also support the need for capital to either rebuild or continue operating in the near term. Obviously
their preference is for grant money, but a supportive loan program would go a long way to helping
businesses stay afloat while they wait for the 2018 peak season (Figure 21).
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
Marketing andpromotion of
businesses andarea
Help businesses tobe aware of
support programs
Funding to replacelost income
Help businessesapply to support
programs
Interm Financing atlow or 0% interest
Special casepermitting and
licensing
Figure 21: What actions or programs could help businesses recover in the short term?
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Lastly, numerous examples were mentioned regarding special measures around variances, permitting
and licencing. Comments ranged from reduced red tape to expedited process to special variances to
allow for new construction to be exempt from current building standards and codes. Most of these later
comments are driven by the fact that many of the structures that were lost were originally built a
number of years ago to very different building standards. Rebuilding these structures to current
standards is either not possible (in some circumstances) or much more costly than the insurance pay-out
on the old structures or out of pocket expenses.
Building codes have been updated for a variety of reasons including resiliency and energy efficiency but
more importantly for public health, safety, and environmental protection. Therefore not “building to
code” or allowing variances are not recommended. Process improvement, red tape reduction and
expedition of permits however are plausible outcomes as long as public health, safety, and
environmental protection are not compromised.
One last suggestion that did not make it into the graph was the need for help to clean up residual fire
retardant on private property. 7At present, the BC Wildfire Service is considering whether this could be
eligible for compensation or assistance; business owners who have this need will need to contact the
Manager of Wildfire Risk at the BC Wildfire Service to determine eligibility.
7 https://www.interiorhealth.ca/YourEnvironment/EmergencyPreparedness/Documents/After%20Fire%20-%20Returning%20Home.pdf
Marketing and promotion of businesses
and area, 55%
More Grants, 11%
Better communication between agencies, government and businesses, 6%
Better control over media messaging next
time, 4%
Interm Financing at low or 0%
interest, 9%
Economic Development programs to expand or diversify economy, 2%
Assist community with prepardness
efforts , 13%
Figure 22: What actions or programs could help businesses recover in the medium term?
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When asked what actions or programs could aid in business recovery in the medium term, there were some similar suggestions, although the responses started to diversify somewhat. Overall there was one strong theme, followed by six smaller themes, and then a number of individual recommendations, some of which are outlined below. Once again marketing and promotion of businesses and the area dominated the responses at 55%. One specific suggestion for marketing and promotion was to offer free BC Parks camping for the 2018 season. This was followed by suggestions to assist the community and businesses with preparedness efforts such as business emergency response plans. Some of these comments revolved around community fire suppression and fuel reduction plans. Suggestions included the integration of emergency management planning to include larger companies that operate in the backcountry, including logging and tourism organizations. Grants and loans once again were represented and reinforce the need for interim capital to either
rebuild or continue operating in the near to medium term. Obviously the preference would be for grant
funding, but a supportive loan program would go a long way to helping businesses continue to operate
while they wait for the 2018 peak season.
Better communication between agencies, government, and businesses represented 6% of responses. Comments related to this theme included reducing the duplication of services and supports, and reducing the number of active agencies engaging businesses with recovery, both of which would help alleviate feelings of confusion and being overwhelmed by too many players and programs. Also there was a suggestion to hire a specific communications manager to collect information from various organizations and agencies, coordinate a response, and disseminate information to businesses as a single point of contact during future disasters. Development of a media and communications strategy or plan for the next fire season was also suggested (4%). The feeling is that now is the time to make a plan and strategy while there are no other disasters currently underway and there is more time to think and strategize. This is a proactive measure to hopefully reduce the economic impact of future wildfire disasters. Lastly there was some mention of economic development incentives to promote the recovery and expansion of existing businesses and to attract new businesses to diversify the existing economies. Specific suggestions included tax incentives, entrepreneur support, and new business attraction campaigns.
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Businesses were also asked that if they were given one operational support that would make the biggest difference in their recovery what it would be? Again marketing and promotion of the businesses and area dominated the responses (Figure 23).
This was followed by help with recovery related expenses and operational expenses. The difference
being that operational expenses are exactly what the business would have incurred before the fire to
operate, but now do not have enough operating capital in the bank to cover, due to disaster related
expenses. Recovery expenses are those expenses which the business would not have otherwise
incurred, if not for the 2017 wildfires. The third highest response, interim financing at low or no-interest,
is also related to these responses as they are the cause of the need for financing.
Business support to navigate the various recovery initiatives currently available and help with the
creation of emergency response plans was the fifth most common response at 11%.
Lastly, environmental recovery, future fire mitigation, and commercial tax relief are mentioned as other
possible operating support measures which could aid in recovery.
51%
26%
2%
19%
13%
11%
4%
Marketing and promotion of businesses and area
Help with recovery related expenses
Commercial tax reduction or relief
Help with operational expenses (employee or utilities)
Interm Financing at low or 0% interest
Business management support / disaster planning
Environmental recovery and future fire mitigation
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
Figure 23: If there was one operational support which would make the biggest difference for aiding in recovery, what would
it be?
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Long term Recovery Actions
When asked what actions or programs could aid in business recovery in the long term, there were some similar suggestions, along with some new suggestions. Overall there were six main themes and then a number of individual recommendations, some of which are outlined below (Figure 24). Once again marketing and promotion of businesses and the area dominated the responses at 28%. This would seem to reflect industry knowledge that the impact from the wildfires will likely continue over multiple years. One earlier comment which was referenced seemed to indicate that previous experience would suggest impacts lasting as long as 10 years. This was followed once again by suggestions to assist the community and businesses with preparedness efforts (26%) such as business emergency response and continuity plans. Some of these comments revolved around community fire suppression and fuel reduction plans. Some specific suggestions included:
Aiding municipalities in creating or editing emergency plans, and promoting the FireSmart program;
Require private logging companies to clean up after logging. Forest undergrowth needs to be maintained to prevent such large amounts of tinder/fuel; and,
Take part in community, professional and ministry planning so that when the next emergency happens the whole community has a voice.
Marketing and promotion of businesses and area
Work with insurance companies to provide betterproducts / awareness
Assist community with prepardness efforts
Continued grants and tax relief
Interm Financing at low or 0% interest
Better communication between agencies, government andbusinesses
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Figure 24: What actions or programs could help businesses recover in the long term?
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Better communication between agencies, government and businesses represented 11% of responses. Although this came up earlier, the comments associated with the theme were different as they focused much more around planning and the development of a framework or strategy for future emergency events. Once again there were suggestions to put provisions in place to be able to hire a specific communications manager to collect information from various organizations and agencies, coordinate a response and disseminate information to businesses as a single point of contact during future disasters. Better communication between agencies controlling road closures was specifically mentioned. Continued tax relief and grants accounted for the fourth largest response rate at 8%. Comments related to this theme tended to shift more towards tax relief and suggestions to extend tax incentives over a two to three year period in order to promote more sustained growth and development. Once again it was mentioned that recovery would take multiple years and therefore recovery measures should be put in place to take into account these timeframes. Policy development around insurance providers and the coverage they offer accounted for 4% of the responses. Comments here reflected the feeling that either:
Business interruption insurance needs to be more affordable;
Eligibility criteria to place a claim need to be adjusted or regulated – this comment relates to insurance holders not being able to make a claim because they were not directly evacuated, they did not lose critical assets in the fire or that road closures were not recognized as a cause of business interruption; and,
Models exist in New Zealand and other countries where governments have effectively helped to regulate insurance coverage for business owners, especially in the tourism sector.
Interim financing at low or no-interest rates in the long term to help businesses cover lost operating
capital and rebuild accounted for the last theme at approximately 3% of the responses.
Many other individual ideas were also mentioned, some of which are outlined below:
Geotechnical stability studies and mitigation measures need to be put in place to reduce further future economic impacts from environmental disasters;
Build strategic fire breaks and assess the lay of the land so that future fires may be more easily understood and controlled;
Expedite replanting and take measures for weed control and rehabilitation of the environment; and,
Install multiple “web-cams” like the ones used on major highways, throughout the region including in the parks. This will enable residents, officials, and tourists to see firsthand what is happening not only during emergencies, but also anytime. This can help to market the region to tourists and control misinformation during emergencies.
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Summary of Current Economic Recovery Programs In order to do a gap analysis, needs must be compared to existing resources, in order to determine the
gaps in support programs which are available. After extensive research, a detailed inventory of all
currently active recovery programs was created. This detailed list can be found in Appendix 5. Outlined
in the following section is a summary of these recovery programs including a brief overview.
Red Cross Phase 2 - Additional Financial Assistance Overview: Eligibility and the amount of financial assistance will be based on an assessment of the small
business’ vulnerability and need. Eligible small businesses will be able to apply by completing an online
application. The amount of money provided to each eligible applicant in the second phase of the
program will be a portion of the eligible costs incurred after July 7, 2017, to a maximum of $18,500 if the
needs are extraordinary. Not-for-Profit Organizations: may also apply for additional financial assistance,
to a maximum of $8,500 based on an assessment of the information provided. Phase 2 will include the
Phase 1 $1,500 for any successful applicants who did not previously access Phase 1 funding.
Red Cross Community Partnerships Grant Overview: The Community Partnerships Program funds projects by community organizations working towards relief, recovery and resilience-building of those affected by the 2017 British Columbia Fires. This Program will fund a range of initiatives identified by community groups, municipalities, registered charities and other organizations, to support work with affected populations through the following five (5) areas of programming:
Emergency Relief: meeting the immediate needs of impacted populations through individual and community based support, for example:
Community Strengthening: initiatives that bring community together and promote networks of support and community connectedness.
Safety & Well-being: services that address individual well-being and protection as well as strengthen formal and informal psychosocial support structures and networks.
Indigenous Programming: meeting the unique recovery needs and priorities of impacted Indigenous Communities
Disaster Risk Reduction: support activities that will help communities to mitigate and prepare for future fires and other emergencies
Canada Small Business Finance Program Overview: The Canada Small Business Financing Program offers a “loan guarantee program to secure small business loans against inadvertent non-compliance with payment terms for a range of reasons, including disasters. Assets guaranteed include real property improvements, leasehold improvements or the purchase of equipment.” Funding per applicant up to a maximum of $1,000,000 for any one borrower, of which no more than
$350,000 can be used for purchasing leasehold improvements or improving leased property and
purchasing or improving new or used equipment.
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Employment Assistance Work Sharing Program Overview: If you are faced with having to temporarily lay off your staff, due to the wildfires, the Employment Insurance Work Sharing Program offers income support to workers who are willing to work a temporary reduced work week when there is a reduction in business activity beyond the control of the employer. The program includes special criteria to allow easier access to the Work Sharing Program for business affected by major disaster or public threats.”
Community Futures Sun Country BC Wildfire Response and Recovery Loan Program Overview: Community Futures Sun Country has announced a BC Wildfire response and recovery loan program to help small businesses within its regional area that were impacted by wildfires. This program offers a loan of up to $10,000 to eligible businesses at prime plus 2 per cent interest over a four-year amortization period. There’s also an option to waive repayment obligations for up to eight months.
Community Futures Sun Country Business Ambassadors Program for Wildfire Recovery Overview: The Recovery Business Ambassadors will help businesses assess the impact of the wildfires on their operations, match their needs to available programs and services, assist with appropriate referrals and application processes and collect information that can help communities better understand the wildfire impacts in order to support new program development.
Small Business BC – BC Wildfire Resources for Small Business and “Ask the Expert” Overview: Small Business BC is making sure people and businesses who have been impacted by the 2017 wildfire season are supported during this time of need by providing a special edition of Small Business BC’s ‘Ask the Expert’ service to help small businesses who have been impacted by wildfires throughout B.C. This service will allow fire-impacted small businesses to gain insight, advice and support from key professional fields.
Agri-Recovery Program Overview: The AgriRecovery Framework is part of a suite of federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) Business
Risk Management (BRM) tools under Growing Forward 2. AgriRecovery is an FPT disaster relief
framework intended to work together with the core BRM programs to help agricultural producers
recover from natural disasters.
BC Wildfire Specifics: B.C. ranchers and farmers can now access the $20-million 2017 Canada-British
Columbia Wildfires Recovery Initiative to help rebuild their livelihoods.
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Farm Business Recovery Advisory Services Program Overview: The aim of the Farm Business Recovery Advisory Services Program is to assist farmers and ranchers to better understand the adverse effects of this year’s wildfires on their current production and financial situation, to enable them to implement an immediate and long-term recovery plan.
They will provide access to up to $5,000 for services such as basic financial analysis, specialized business planning and coaching services. The program also includes the customized B.C. Wildfire Recovery for Agriculture Workbook to help producers with their recovery planning.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Advanced Payments Program Overview: The Advanced Payments Program is a federal loan program which is available to assist crop and livestock producers meet their financial obligations through improved cash flow and better opportunities to market their agricultural products. Loans of up to $400,000 are available under the program, with the federal government covering the interest on the first $100,000.
B.C. Ranchers and Farmers can now register for the $20-million 2017 Canada-British Columbia Wildfires Recovery Initiative to help rebuild their livelihoods. The aim of the initiative is to assist agricultural producers with compensation for extraordinary expenses necessary for recovery and, more importantly, enable farms and ranches to return to production as quickly as possible.
2017 British Columbia AgriStability Enhancement Program
Overview: The British Columbia government has made special provisions to help producers who suffered income declines in 2017.
Producers throughout the province dealt with numerous challenges in 2017 including winter freeze, excessive moisture, and wildfires. The 2017 British Columbia AgriStability Enhancement Program allows agricultural producers to enroll late and without penalty into the existing AgriStability program. It also includes some enhancements to the AgriStability program but only for 2017.
BC Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Wildfire Initiatives Overview: The Province has provided $1.1 million to support tourism in areas affected by the wildfires. Specifically, the ministry provided a total of $600,000 to the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, the Thompson Okanagan, and Kootenay Rockies Tourism associations to help mitigate tourism-related losses caused by the fires and to support the tourism recovery needs. Destination BC has also reallocated $500,000 in marketing to support areas affected, for a total of $1.1 million
Mental Health Support Programs:
Overview: Understanding the signs and symptoms of stress and practicing the above self-care may help alleviate your stress; however there are many additional supports available. Needing additional information, support or counselling is very normal after a traumatic event and affected individuals are encouraged to seek help. Numerous support programs are offered, please see Appendix 5 for a detailed list.
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Tax Relief Programs: Overview: In extraordinary circumstances (such as the B.C. Wildfires) Canada Revenue Agency may waive penalties or interest on outstanding tax payments. To apply to have penalties or interest waived, businesses need to download form RC4288 Request for Taxpayer Relief.
If books or records have been destroyed, call the CRA to inform them of the issue at 1-800-959-5525 The Canada Revenue may allow livestock producers to defer income from the sell down of breeding stock. This allows livestock producers to move the income from selling breeding stock into the future so it can be matched against the expense of repurchasing breeding stock. It is not certain at this time if this income deferral will be available in 2017.
Environmental Recovery Programs: Overview: The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development’s (FLNRORD) recovery plans include immediate efforts related to rehabilitation from wildfires and firefighting, such as trail restoration, grass seeding and assessing slopes for stability. These and the following recovery efforts are being led through an incident command structure based in the Cariboo.
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Recovery Work plan (Methodology) This section of the report summarizes the actions and methodology used to collect the data necessary
for the creation of this report. It is hopeful that this section will also help other researchers and recovery
managers with their own recovery initiatives by replicating and improving upon this process.
Phase 1 – Project Launch
One of the first key steps undertaken was an environmental scan of existing recovery organizations
operating in the TNRD. During this this phase, there were a number of phone calls and meetings with
key recovery players including other regional organizations, provincial government representatives, local
government representatives and electoral area directors. From these meetings and interactions an
inventory of existing support programs and scope started to form.
Phase 2 - Planning, Logistics and Communications Strategy
To ensure maximum participation and exposure for the TNRD, an active advertising campaign
supporting the economic recovery survey was rolled out. The advertising campaign was an excellent
opportunity for the TNRD to actively engage the business community to provide input in the economic
recovery process. The marketing and communications strategy had three main goals:
1) Increase awareness of the TNRD initiative regional district wide;
2) Drive businesses located in the TNRD to fill out an online survey; and,
3) Drive businesses to participate in the community sessions hosted in December 2017.
The marketing and communication strategy included:
Development of print pieces including a Community Marketing Poster (appendix 3.1) and Mail
Drop Postcard (appendix 3.2). The Community Marketing Posters were couriered to local
municipal leaders to post at various community bulletin boards to aid in awareness;
Two unaddressed Admail Campaign drops to businesses Nov 27 and Dec 1 which utilized the
Mail Drop Postcard (appendix 3.2);
Social Media Facebook Campaign to invite online survey engagement at attendance and in-
community consultations; and,
Phone calls targeting Municipal Leaders and Emergency Program Coordinators ; CFDCs, Tourism
DMOs, Tourism Marketing Organizations (Gold Country), and local Chambers of Commerce with
a personal invite to attend in-community consultation and to ask for help engaging their
community through social media and e-mail.
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Task 2.2: Wildfire Recovery Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis Survey
Given the overall project, overall timeline and resources it was felt that the most effective method of
engagement was a mixture of key informant interviews and community engagement sessions supported
by an online survey. The online survey will allowed for access to the most business opinions and input in
the shortest period of time.
This online survey also collected primary business and market data to support the estimation of economic
loss and gap analysis accruing from the 2017 wildfires. This data was used to identify key issues and trends
which will assist the TNRD with programming, planning and policy development. The TNRD also got a
sense of the economic pulse of the region and was able to record these results in this report.
Primary data collection is key in this process, as in most circumstances in this province, little to no
community level data exists unless the local municipality or economic development agency is actively
collecting it. Most publically available sources of data only provide detail at the development region
level. In the case of the TNRD, data could include Kamloops and Sun Peaks, making the data virtually
useless when trying to create a local strategy.
Task 2.3: Community Engagement Session Planning
A key component of this project was the multiple community engagement events. The overall focus of
these events was to increase awareness of the TNRD economic recovery efforts, collect valuable data
and engage the business community in a meaningful manner. In order to do so, a number of key
planning steps needed to be accomplished in advance.
The first of step was to create a power point presentation ensuring that key information collected to
date and important pieces of information required to be collected were covered. Part of this process
included the selection and organization of facilitation exercises which best suited the participants and
level of desired engagement.
Throughout this process every effort was made to collaborate with other regional organizations,
provincial government representatives, local government representatives and electoral area directors.
Task 2.4: Operational Planning
Along with the planning of agendas, exercises and presentations, logistics needed to be planned for the
six (6) community engagement sessions. This included working with regional organizations, provincial
government representatives, local government representatives and electoral area directors to:
Identify ideal venues, check availability and book spaces;
Organize light refreshments from local suppliers; and,
Arrange for technical and other room requirements (projector, screen, chairs, tables, etc.).
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Phase 3 - Community Engagement - Needs Assessment
Task 3.1: Roll out the coordinated marketing plan utilizing various media channels
As outlined previously in the Planning, Logistics and Communication strategy, the marketing campaign
was rolled out utilizing various media channels. Specifically, there were two unaddressed admail drops
exclusively to all businesses affected by the 2017 Wildfires in the TNRD region on November 27th and
December 1st. Invitations and posters for municipal leaders and directors to post and share were printed
and couriered. An active Facebook Campaign was run through the TNRD Facebook account to invite
online survey engagement and attendance at in-community consultations. Lastly, the creation of a
landing page by the TNRD web developer was key for businesses to find resources and information
regarding the recovery efforts.
Further to this marketing campaign, earned media was used to the fullest extent possible. Interviews
were done regarding the initiative on CBC, the Jim Harrison Show (radio NL), The Midday Show on CTV,
two articles in the Ashcroft Cache-Creek Journal and the Clearwater Times.
Task 3.2: First Round of Community Engagement Sessions
The next step in the process was the first round of community engagement sessions. After reviewing the
locations of the 2017 wildfires in the TNRD, it was determined that six sessions in four different
communities would be held to capture most of the businesses affected by the wildfires. The four
communities and their associated regions are as follows:
1. Clearwater to capture surrounding region (Little Fort, etc.);
2. 70 Mile House to capture surrounding region (Clinton, Loon Lake, etc.);
3. Ashcroft to capture surrounding region; and,
4. Cache Creek to capture surrounding region.
During these sessions light refreshments were served, information was shared in the form of
presentations, and data was collected via various facilitation exercises. The Community Economic
Recovery Manager was fortunate enough to have two representatives from the Ministry of Forests,
Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Community Wildfire Recovery Branch, the
General Manager of Community Futures Thompson Country, a representative from The Ministry of
Health, and the Residential Recovery Manager for the TNRD.
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Phase 4 – Data and Gap Analysis
Task 4.1: Compile Data from Online Survey and Community Sessions
At this stage, the economic recovery survey had fairly good participation rates and the initial compiling
of data into meaningful trends and themes began. All identifying information was stripped from the data
and the results were aggregated to ensure anonymity. At this point, the data was still fairly raw, but
these trends and themes were used to start to build the foundation of the economic recovery survey
findings.
Task 4.2: Gap Analysis All of the information gathered to date, along with the secondary data review from Phase 1, was used to
help finalize the trend analysis to determine local economic development gaps and opportunities. These
gaps and opportunities were then evaluated against existing programs offered by other organizations to
identify if the gap is real or if there is an opportunity to leverage existing programs to a fuller extent.
Phase 5 - Validation and Second Round of Community Engagement
Task 5.1: Validation of Draft Findings
This portion of the project involved re-engaging the TNRD staff to provide input on the draft economic
recovery plan. Broad concepts and groups of options were narrowed down into more refined products
to create the draft economic recovery plan and then embark on the second phase of the stakeholder
engagement process (Task 5.3).
At this point, once approval from the TNRD senior staff was given, the draft economic recovery plan was
sent to the Emergency Management British Columbia (EMBC), and Community Wildfire & Provincial
Disaster Recovery Branches, Forest Lands Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development
(FLNRORD) – within the 30 day time period of the project initiation.
Task 5.2: Coordination with other stakeholders
Once the preliminary findings of the draft economic recovery plan were approved by the TNRD, the
Community Economic Recovery Manager once again engaged the other regional organizations,
provincial government representatives, local government representatives and electoral area directors to
share the results and start planning the second round of community engagement sessions.
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Task 5.3: Second phase of community engagement - presentation of findings This second round of community engagement sessions was very similar to the first round, only with the
intention of sharing the findings and recommendations to the various businesses affected by the 2017
wildfires in the TNRD.
This step was important as it helped to solidify the fact that the TNRD has listened to the needs of the
business community and has made recommendations for programs and support specifically to address
these needs without duplicating other services currently offered by other support organizations.
Further to this, based on perceived gaps identified in the data, other organizations were invited to
inform the attendees of the details of their programs. Often, programs exist to support businesses, but
they are hard to find and therefore go unutilized. By actively increasing awareness of programs, the
TNRD was able to add great value to the economic recovery process, quickly and easily.
As with the first round of community engagement sessions, four communities and their associated
regions were visited:
Clearwater to capture surrounding region (Little Fort, etc.);
70 Mile House to capture surrounding region (Clinton, Loon Lake, etc.);
Ashcroft to capture surrounding region; and,
Cache Creek to capture surrounding region.
Over the course of these sessions the following organizations had staff represented:
The Canadian Red Cross;
Interior Health;
The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development;
Community Futures Sun Country;
Community Futures Thompson Country;
Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association;
United Way;
TNRD - Community Economic Recovery Manager; and,
TNRD - Recovery Manager.
Phase 6 - Creation of Final Disaster Recovery Plan This final report was divided into two sections. Section 1 is the Executive Summary for the project and
was developed with the community audience in mind. It articulates the background, key findings and
recommendations. Section 2 is the technical report which presents the data, analysis and community
consultation results as well as the final economic recovery strategy recommendations.
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Gap Analysis Outcomes: The follow sections have been divided into short to medium term recovery recommendations and long
term recovery recommendations. It is understood that although the TNRD has completed this initial
recovery work plan and gap analysis, it is unlikely that they will be able to take on all of the
recommendations listed below.
That being said, this information will still prove to be very valuable for other recovery organizations. One
of the major issues identified is the large number of agencies attempting to help with the recovery
effort, which is causing confusion for business owners looking for support resources. By sharing this data
and document, the TNRD can immediately help business owners with recovery by providing valuable on-
the-ground information on business recovery needs to other organizations, saving them the time and
resources of duplicating the same effort.
It should also be mentioned that whenever an existing recovery program is similar or matching a
recommendation, a special note was provided under the recommendation pointing out the connection.
It is recommended that if an organization decides to proceed with a program to address the
recommendation that they coordinate with the existing program which is mentioned in the note. This
will help to reduce duplication and confusion.
Possible Short-Medium term Recovery Actions
Marketing and promotion of the area to help the tourism sector recover. The top five industry sectors
represented in this data accounted for nearly 80% of the total businesses and they were all related to
tourism or impacted by tourism.
Development of a one-on-one direct assistance program to help businesses recover by providing
services such as:
Navigation and awareness in a constantly changing recovery program landscape;
To act as a single point of contact for businesses when it comes to recovery; and,
To assist with application forms and processes to access recovery initiatives.
Continued promotion of the existing recovery programs in an easy to read and simplified format,
which should be made available on the TNRD website, on social media and through mail drops. Data
would seem to indicate that the existing recovery programs are not being utilized to their fullest extent
due to lack of awareness.
Additional grant programs should be considered to cover recovery expenses. Some examples include:
To help with expenses related to animals that do not qualify as livestock but are directly
attributed to business activities (miniature horse breeding, geldings, etc.);
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To help with hiring or employee wages;
To help with more general recovery and cleanup expenses; and,
To help municipalities with post-fire economic development.
Explore the possibility of local lenders offering low or no-interest loans to help businesses with
operating and recovery capital. Many businesses in the TNRD count on the peak season to survive the
off-season. The wildfires in 2017 heavily impacted the income generated during the peak season and in
some cases resulted in additional expenses. Many businesses will need an influx of capital to survive
until the next peak season.
Special provisions should be considered around variances and permittingto enable businesses to
rebuild and recover as soon as possible. Focus should be put on red tape reduction and expedited
process with possible special variances as long as public health and safety, and environmental
protection are not compromised.
Provide support to assist businesses with the creation of an emergency response and business
continuity plan. Business emergency response and continuity plans have been proven to make a
difference in how effectively a business responds to and recovers from a disaster. Almost two thirds of
businesses surveyed reported that they do not have an emergency plan.
Best efforts should be made to continually improve the wildfire-specific, integrated media and communications strategy or plan for the TNRD for the next fire season. Now is the time to make a plan and strategy while there are no disasters currently underway and there is more time to think and strategize. Stakeholder engagement should include community leaders, wildfire management agencies, private industry, different levels of government as well as media representatives. This could include a provision to hire a specific communications manager to collect information from various organizations and agencies, coordinate a response and disseminate information to businesses as a single point of contact during future disasters.
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Possible Long term Recovery Actions Commitment to a long term marketing and promotion campaign to revive the tourism sector. The impact from the wildfires will likely last over multiple years and so a sustained long-term commitment to marketing and promotion will be needed to assist the tourism sector to recover and grow. Best efforts should be made to continually improve the programs to assist local governments and First Nations governments with preparedness efforts such as an integrated emergency management plan (such as those offered through EMBC). The planning process should include larger companies that operate in the backcountry, such as logging and tourism organizations, emergency response agencies, various levels of government, etc. Efforts could include fuel reduction programs, policy and procedures for when an emergency takes place, communications plans, etc. The creation of post-fire economic development incentives to promote the recovery and expansion of existing businesses as well as attracting new businesses to diversify the existing economies. Specific suggestions included tax incentives, entrepreneur support, and attraction campaigns. The development of long term tax relief and grant programs. It is suggested that programs be developed to continue over a two to three year period in order to promote more sustained growth and development. Recovery will likely take multiple years and therefore recovery measures should be put in place to take into account these timeframes. Investigate policy development and best practices around alternative insurance solutions. Best practices in other parts of the world, such as New Zealand should be reviewed to see if there are plausible alternatives to help businesses secure better insurance coverage for wildfire disasters. Take measures (such as geotechnical stability studies) to reduce further environmentally driven economic impacts (such as flooding, slides, or debris torrents) as well as undertake environmental remediation measures such as noxious weed control and reseeding.
Explore the possibility of purchasing and installing multiple “web-cams” (similar to those used on major highways) throughout the region including in the parks. This will enable residents, officials, and tourists to see firsthand in real-time the conditions in the TNRD. This can help to market the region to tourists, become a source of information for locals, help control misinformation, and give real-time pictures on the ground during emergencies.
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Recommendations for the TNRD: Given the jurisdiction, scope and resources of the TNRD not all of the identified recovery actions will
be possible. Therefore, the following recommendations have been made balancing business recovery
impact with most pragmatic measures the TNRD could undertake. This does not mean that other
recovery actions listed above should not be initiated; instead the following recommendations are based
on the best information available at the time.
Recommended Short-Medium term Recovery Actions:
Continued promotion of the existing recovery programs in an easy to read and simplified format,
which should be made available on the TNRD website, on social media and through mail drops. Data
indicates that the existing recovery programs are not being utilized to their fullest extent due to lack of
awareness.
Note: Community Futures Sun Country Business Ambassadors Program for Wildfire Recovery is
addressing this need, but not for the whole of the TNRD. Effort should be made to expand the
program to cover unaddressed areas.
Special provisions should be considered around variances and permitting to enable businesses to
rebuild and recover as soon as possible. Focus should be put on red tape reduction and expedited
process with possible special variances as long as public health and safety, and environmental
protection are not compromised.
Note: The TNRD Board of Directors have already taken measures to reduce building permit and planning application fees by 50% and directed the acceleration of application processing for wildfire impacted property owners. Additionally, the Board will be considering a new zoning for “dry cabins” and will be lobbying the provincial government for relief and Building Code changes for seasonal cabin rebuilds.
Investigate the idea of providing support to assist businesses with the creation of an emergency response and business continuity plan. Business emergency response and continuity plans have been proven to make a difference in how effectively a business responds to and recovers from a disaster. Almost two thirds of businesses surveyed reported that they do not have an emergency plan.
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Recommended Medium-Long term Recovery Actions:
Best efforts should be made to continually improve the wildfire-specific, integrated media and communications strategy or plan for the TNRD for the next fire season. Now is the time to make a plan and strategy while there are no disasters currently underway and there is more time to think and strategize. Possible actions could include stakeholder engagement with community leaders, wildfire management agencies, private industry, different levels of government as well as media representatives. This could include a provision to hire a specific communications manager to collect information from various organizations and agencies, coordinate a response and disseminate information to businesses as a single point of contact during future disasters.
Work to continually improve existing programs which assist communities with preparedness efforts such as an Integrated Emergency Management Plan. The planning process could include larger companies that operate in the backcountry, such as logging and tourism organizations, emergency response agencies, various levels of government, etc. Efforts could include fuel reduction programs, policy and procedures for when an emergency takes place, communications plans, etc.
Note: The Red Cross Community Partnerships Grant could possibly cover some expenses related
to the development of a program to assist communities with preparedness efforts such as an
integrated emergency management plan. Further investigation should be done if this
recommendation is to proceed.
Take measures (such as geotechnical stability studies) to reduce further environmentally driven economic impacts (such as flooding, slides, or debris torrents) as well as undertake environmental remediation measures such as noxious weed control and reseeding.
Note: The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development’s
(FLNRORD) recovery plans include immediate efforts related to rehabilitation from wildfires and
firefighting, such as trail restoration, grass seeding and assessing slopes for stability. Any such
efforts should be done in coordination with FLNRORD.
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Appendix 1.0: Recovery Work Plan Table
Need ActivityResources to
Consider
Timeline/
Milestone
Person
Responsible
Financial
Considerations
Development of recovery
website
- Recovery manager
Active Facebook Campaign - Cell phone
Mail drop to all businesses in
TNRD
- Tracking Sheet
Development of print media
including posters and
postcards
Cost of Mail-drop
Phone calls to CAO's and
Area Directors
Build out an inventory of
existing business support
programs
- Recovery manager
Connect with various
organizations to collaborate
- Cell phone
- Tracking Sheet
Identify other activities and
sessions at play
- Pathways document
to identify
organizations with
potential solutions/
supports.
Conduct business impact
assessment.
- Survey
development and
promotion
Target: 6 community
sessions spanned over 4
different epicenters of wildfire
impact
- Promotions to
businesses on
purpose/ timing of
impact assessment
Try to quantify the economic
loss in the TNRD
- Database for data
entry
- Analysis
- Recovery manager
- Cell phone
- Tracking Sheet
- Pathways document
to identify
organizations with
potential solutions/
supports.
6 community sessions
spanned over 4 different
epicenters of wildfire impact
- Recovery manager
Connect with various
organizations to collaborate
- Tracking Sheet
Provide opportunity for
organizations to do 10 min
presentation on support
programs
- Pathways document
to identify
organizations with
potential solutions/
supports.
Provide opportunity for
organizations to set-up a mini-
booth at the venue and make
themselves available for
conversations after the
sessions
Summarize all activities - Recovery manager
Identify trends and gaps
Make recommendations for
programs and activities to
best support economic
recovery
Make this information
available to other
organizations who may be
able to assist businesses in
the TNRD
No additional
financial
considerations
needed.
Economic
Recovery
Manager
(Colin
O'Leary)
Economic
Recovery
Manager
(Colin
O'Leary)
Economic
Recovery
Manager
(Colin
O'Leary)
Cost of
development of
print media
No additional
financial
considerations
needed.
No additional
financial
considerations
needed.
No additional
financial
considerations
needed.
No additional
financial
considerations
needed.
Economic
Recovery
Manager
(Colin
O'Leary)
Economic
Recovery
Manager
(Colin
O'Leary)
Creation of a final
disaster recovery plan
Triage immediate and
pressing economic, social,
and land-based needs from
citizens, non-profits and
businesses. Track needs, as
well as program gaps. Use
this information to inform
larger recovery
implementation plan.
On-going
Completed.
January 8th, 2018
Community
sessions and Survey
completed as of
December 21st,
2017.
Completed.
Developed a list of
"gaps" in services
and recomendations
by January 8th, 2018
Community
sessions completed
as of December
21st, 2017.
January 8th, 2018
Economic
Recovery
Manager
(Colin
O'Leary)
Communicate to the
business community
that the TNRD is here to
help with economic
recovery
Thorough Review of
Existing Wildfire support
programs and Active
support organizations
Gain understanding and
appreciation of full-
scope business impacts
from the wildfires.
Some businesses,
individuals and non-
profit organizations are
facing acute needs in
the short-term. Many of
these needs do not fit
neatly within existing
recovery supports.
Second round of
community engagement
sessions to share
findings and link
businesses in the TNRD
to support programs
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Appendix 2.0: Short-Medium term Recovery Actions
Recovery Scope Need Activities Resources To ConsiderTimeframe/
Milestone
Person
Responsible
Financial/ Resource
Considerations
Short to Medium
term:Business associations
Navigation and
awareness in a
constantly changing
recovery program
landscape
Municipal / First Nations
To act as a single
point of contact for
businesses when it
comes to recovery
Recovery Agencies
To assist with
application forms
and processes to
access recovery
initiatives
BC Government
Short to Medium
term:Recovery Agencies
Further investigation
should be done to
determine if some
existing recovery
programs could be
adapted to address
unmet needs
BC Government
Short to Medium
term:Lending Agencies
Work with local
lenders and the
provincial
government to see if
there is a possibility
of reducing risk and
therefore interest
rates on business
loans.
BC Government
Medium to long
term:
Ministry of Tourism, Arts
and Culture
Active marketing
campaigns including
Europe
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast
Tourism Association
Thompson Okanagan
Tourism Association
No additional funding
required.
Promote that BC is
still open for
business
Destination BC
External Agency Needs Assessment
Economy
Development of a
one-on-one direct
assistance program
to help businesses
recover
Immediate need.
Business
Ambassador
Contract
Further funding from The
Ministry of Forests,
Lands, Natural Resource
Operations and Rural
Development should be
explored to create this
recovery program.
Economy
Explore the
possibility of local
lenders offering
low or 0% interest
loans to help
businesses with
operating and
recovery capital.
Immediate
need.
External granting
and loan agencies
Further funding from The
Ministry of Forests,
Lands, Natural Resource
Operations and Rural
Development should be
explored to create this
recovery program.
Economy
Additional grant
programs should be
considered to cover
recovery expenses
Immediate
need.
Province of BC or
External granting
agencies
Additional funding will
be required unless
existing TNRD staff can
commit resources.
Economy
Marketing and
promotion of the
area to help the
tourism sector
recover
Dec, 2017 – Dec
2020
Tourism
Association or
Organization
active in the TNRD
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Recovery Scope Need Activities Resources To ConsiderTimeframe/
Milestone
Person
Responsible
Financial/ Resource
Considerations
Short to Medium
term:
Local authority/First
Nation
Make available an
easy to read,
comprehensive list
of current economic
recovery initiatives.
Recovery Agencies
Promote this
resource list through
the TNRD webpage
and social media
Media outlets
Continually update
this list of resources
as programs change
Medium to long
term:
TNRD Development
Services Staff
Explore the
possibility of making
special provisions in
Development
Services for Wildfire
Recovery.
TNRD Residential
Recovery Manager
Medium to long
term:Other funding agencies
Work with the
Provincial
Government and
Canadian Red Cross
to develop a program
to help businesses
create an emergency
response plan.
BC Government
Medium to long
term:Community Leaders
BC Government
Wildfire Management
Agencies
Private Industry
Recovery Agencies
Media Representatives
TNRD Needs Assessment
Economy
Continued
promotion of the
existing recovery
programs in an easy
to read and
simplified format
Immediate
need.
TNRD
Communications
Staff?
Minimal unless a
marketing awareness
campaign is run.
No additional funding
required.
Stakeholder
engagement should
include community
leaders, wildfire
management agencies,
private industry,
different levels of
government as well as
media representatives.
TNRD Disaster
Management
Staff?
Economy
Special provisions
should be
considered around
variances,
permitting and
licensing
Dec, 2017 – Dec
2019
TNRD
Development
Services Staff
No additional funding
required.
Economy
Development of a
program to assist
businesses with the
creation of an
emergency
response plan.
Dec, 2017 – Dec
2018
External
Consultant
Further funding from
either the Ministry of
Forests, Lands, Natural
Resource Operations and
Rural Development or
another funding agency
should be explored to
create this recovery
program.
Economy
Continued
improvement of the
exiting wildfire
specific, integrated
media and
communications
strategy for the
TNRD for the next
fire season
Dec, 2017 – Dec
2018
TNRD
Communications
Staff?
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Appendix 3.1: Community Marketing Posters
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Appendix 3.2: Mail Drop Postcard
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Appendix 4.0: Online Survey Questions
Business Information Contact name
Email Address
Company Name
Company Address
Please select the Industry Sector which best represents your business:
Accommodation and Food Services (includes RV resorts, hotels, motels and restaurants) Administrative and Support, Waste Management and Remediation Services Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (including fishing and hunting lodges, farming, ranching, etc.) Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Construction Educational Services Finance and Insurance Health Care and Social Assistance Information and Cultural Industries Management of Companies and Enterprises Manufacturing Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction Other Services (except Public Administration) Professional, Scientific and Technical Services Public Administration Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Retail Trade (includes gas stations, grocery stores, and other stores) Transportation and Warehousing Utilities Wholesale Trade (companies that buy and sell goods with other companies – they typically do not have a storefront) Describe in your own words what your business is:
What are the typical annual revenues (sales) for your business?
less than $250,000/year between $250,000 and $499,999/year between $500,000 and $999,999/year More than $1 million/year Number of paid employees:
No paid employees 26-50 paid employees 11-25 paid employees 1-10 paid employees 51+ paid employees
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Support Resources Have you heard of the following programs (please check all that apply):
Red Cross Community Partnerships Grant AGRI Recovery program Red Cross Phase 1: small business, non-profit, FN cultural livelihoods Red Cross Phase 2: uninsured financial losses Small Business BC – BC Wildfire Resources for Small Business The Advanced Payments Program provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada 10. Have you accessed any other resources to assist your business with economic recovery?
11. In your opinion what gaps exist for recovery for business owners affected by the wildfire in the
TNRD? Please be specific (i.e. Money for out buildings, marketing support to change perceptions, etc.)
12. Have you connected with any of the following organizations with regards to economic recovery
(check all that apply):
United Way The Canadian Red Cross Community Futures Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association Destination BC BC Cattleman’s Association Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (TAC) Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (before now) Other
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Economic Impact 13. In your opinion, what do you think the total economic loss for your business was in 2017 due
directly to wildfires (dollar amount)?
14. Were the losses a result of road closures (please specify major highway or result of a local order),
loss of infrastructure, loss of natural resources, direct fire damage to your business assets or because
of an evacuation order or alert (check all that apply)?
Road or access closure (specify) Loss of infrastructure (specify) Loss of natural resources (specify) Direct fire damage Evacuation Orders Evacuation Alerts
15. What assets (equipment, buildings, property, livestock) did your business lose in the 2017 wildfire
(list of items)?
16. What loss of sales did your business experience in the 2017 wildfire (dollar amount)?
17. Do you anticipate further business loss in 2018 and subsequent years as a result of the 2017 fires?
Please provide description of these losses and potential dollar value.
18. Did you have to lay off any employees?
Yes No
19. If yes, how many HOURS of employment were lost?
20. If you did lay off employees, do you anticipate rehiring them in 2018?
Yes No 21. How would you compare 2017 in terms of revenues (sales) with an average year for your
business?
Greater than 25% higher 15% to 25% higher
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5% to 15% higher 0% to 9% lower 10% to 24% lower 25% to 49% lower 50% to 74% lower Greater than 75% lower
22. Was your business positively affected by the 2017 wildfires in any way? If yes, How?
23. Do you have a business emergency plan? (In case of wildfires, floods, etc.)? Yes No 24. Are you aware of Business Interruption Insurance? (I.e. A form of insurance coverage that replaces business income lost as a result of an event that interrupts the operations of the business, such as fire or a natural disaster)? Yes No 25. If you answered yes to the question above, did you use your Business Interruption Insurance? If no, why? Yes No N/A
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Recovery 26. Have you been able to participate in economic recovery programs?
Yes No N/A
27. If not, please indicate why:
I do not have capacity to complete the application I do not meet the eligibility requirements of programs I am unable to find funding to assist my business to recover Other:
28. In your opinion what is the actions or programs the TNRD could do to help businesses recover
from the 2017 wildfires?
In the short term (next 3 months)
The medium term and; (next year)
The long term (beyond 2018)
29. If there was one operational item (marketing, utility expenses, recovery related expenses,
employee expenses, business management support, etc.), which would make the biggest difference
for aiding in recovery, what would it be?
30. What could the TNRD improve in future events to aid in economic recovery?
31. Could you suggest any specific programs that could make the largest different to businesses?
32. What has the TNRD done well in 2017 to aid your business in economic recovery?
33. What would you like to know more about programs and services that could help your business
with economic recovery?
34. If you were interested in learning more, what kind of informational format would you prefer?
Mail - brochures
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Centralized workshops or classes Local television Internet Websites E-mail Newspaper Insert Radio Social Media
35. Do you have any other information or comments that could assist us with our economic analysis
and recovery plan moving forward?
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Appendix 5.0: Detailed List of Recovery Resources for Businesses
Wildfire Recovery Actions and Supports for Communities (As of January 5th, 2018)
Over the course of the 2017 wildfire season, over 65,000 people were displaced. Over 1.2 million hectares have burnt and over $550 million has been spent on direct wildfire costs alone. The Province is working closely with First Nations, communities and businesses to ensure the necessary programs are in place to support recovery. Recovery supports and programs are available to citizens, businesses, First Nations and communities impacted by the wildfires, depending on their individual circumstances. The following section outlines programs available for businesses and non-profit organizations.
The Canadian Red Cross & Province of BC Emergency Financial Support
to Small Businesses, Not-for-Profit Organizations and First Nations
Cultural Livelihoods Total funding: The British Columbia government has provided $100 million to the Canadian Red Cross. These funds are being used to assist people who have been evacuated from their homes. To date, $21 million has been provided to 52,000 individuals.
Red Cross Phase 1 - Emergency Financial Assistance Funded by: The Canadian Red Cross & Government of BC Application Opens: July 7, 2017
Application Closes: closed on October 31, 2017
Overview: the first phase provided $1,500 to each eligible small business, not-for-profit organization or cultural livelihood directly impacted by the British Columbia Fires through an application and validation process.
Funding per applicant: $1,500
Inclusions: financial assistance for small business owners who have suffered uninsured, financial loss
because of the BC wildfires.
Note: If you did not register the business for Phase 1 of the program, you can still apply for assistance in Phase 2. Eligible businesses must submit an application online along with required documents to apply for assistance.
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Red Cross Phase 2 - Additional Financial Assistance Funded by: Red Cross & Government of BC
Application Opens: November 20, 2017
Application Closes: April 6, 2018
Overview: Eligibility and the amount of financial assistance will be based on an assessment of the small
business’ vulnerability and need. Eligible small businesses will be able to apply by completing an online
application that can be found here. The amount of money provided to each eligible applicant in the
second phase of the program will be a portion of the eligible costs incurred after July 7, 2017, to a
maximum of $18,500 if the needs are extraordinary. Not-for-Profit Organizations: may also apply for
additional financial assistance, to a maximum of $8,500 based on an assessment of the information
provided
Inclusions: The following are examples of costs that are not covered by insurance that could be eligible
for Phase 2 assistance:
Replacing essential items such as business tools and equipment
Assistance with clean-up expenses, moving or storage, professional cleaning and small repairs
Assistance with overdue utility bills, lease payments and short-term lease of business equipment or vehicles
Assistance with loss of livestock, feed or fencing
Minimum requirements to apply:
Have 50 employees or less.*
Be located in a community that was under an evacuation order or evacuation alert as a result of the 2017 British Columbia Fires, including First Nations businesses or traditional cultural livelihoods located on-reserve
Have been in operation on or before July 7, 2017.
Be financially vulnerable as a result of the 2017 BC Fires.
Have resumed or are intending to resume operations.
Have a net income of less than $250,000 (calculated as revenue less expenses).*
Have the business or livelihood be their primary source of income.* *Does not apply to not-for-profit organizations.
Link: http://www.redcross.ca/how-we-help/current-emergency-responses/british-columbia-
fires/support-to-small-business/faqs
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Red Cross Community Partnerships Grant Funded by: Red Cross & Government of BC Application Opens: July, 2017
Application Closes: There is currently no deadline to apply Overview: The Community Partnerships Program funds projects by community organizations working towards relief, recovery and resilience-building of those affected by the 2017 British Columbia Fires. This Program will fund a range of initiatives identified by community groups, municipalities, registered charities and other organizations, to support work with affected populations through the following five (5) areas of programming:
Emergency Relief: meeting the immediate needs of impacted populations through individual and community based support, for example:
o Retroactively supporting with unexpected organizational costs that were incurred in the evacuation phase and return home;
o Firewood supplies for rural communities and/or traditional food for Indigenous communities in the winter months;
o One time community events related to emergency relief or re-entry to communities after the fires.
Community Strengthening: initiatives that bring community together and promote networks of support and community connectedness.
Safety & Wellbeing: services that address individual wellbeing and protection as well as strengthen formal and informal psychosocial support structures and networks.
Indigenous Programming: meeting the unique recovery needs and priorities of impacted Indigenous communities
Disaster Risk Reduction: support activities that will help communities to mitigate and prepare for future fire and other emergencies
Funding per applicant: The funding amount that you request should reflect what you need for your
project. There is currently no minimum or maximum amount that may be requested.
Inclusions: Registered charities, not-for-profit organizations, municipalities, non-governmental
organizations, schools, school boards, Indigenous Peoples organizations, faith-based organizations
Organizations must be located within/ have their head office/ office of incorporation in Canada
Preference will be given to organizations located in communities affected by the 2017 British Columbia
fires.
Exclusions:
Generally Ineligible Organizations:
For-profit businesses
Programs within legislated mandates of government or city departments
Political organizations
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Generally Ineligible Projects or Initiatives:
Community events where a profit is being made by the organization
Fundraising events (including, but not limited to golf tournaments and galas)
Projects that require adherence to a specific faith (the Red Cross is committed to the Fundamental Principle of neutrality and impartiality)
Initiatives that would result in double recuperation of funds, for example for items or services covered by insurance or other government programs
Costs for major capital improvements
Costs related to financing of deficits
Projects involving construction of housing, shelter or other structures
Projects with political activities
Projects that do not fall within our charitable objects
Research projects Projects addressing economic recovery
Link: http://www.redcross.ca/how-we-help/current-emergency-responses/british-columbia-
fires/community-partnerships-program
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Canadian Small Business Finance Program Funded by: The Canadian Federal Government
Application Closes: There is currently no deadline to apply
Overview: The Canada Small Business Financing Program offers a “loan guarantee program to secure small business loans against inadvertent non-compliance with payment terms for a range of reasons, including disasters. Assets guaranteed include real property improvements, leasehold improvements or the purchase of equipment.” For more information on how this program can help you, call 1-866-959-1699
Funding per applicant: Up to a maximum of $1,000,000 for any one borrower, of which no more than
$350,000 can be used for purchasing leasehold improvements or improving leased property and
purchasing or improving new or used equipment.
Inclusions:
purchase or improvement of land or buildings used for commercial purposes
purchase or improvement of new or used equipment
purchase of new or existing leasehold improvements, that is, renovations to a leased property by a tenant
Exclusions:
goodwill
working capital
inventory
franchise fees
research and development
Link: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/csbfp-pfpec.nsf/eng/h_la02855.html
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Employment Assistance Work Sharing Program Funded by: The Canadian Federal Government
Application Closes: There is currently no deadline to apply
Overview: If you are faced with having to temporarily lay-off your staff, due to the wildfires, the Employment Insurance Work Sharing Program offers income support to workers who are willing to work a temporary reduced work week when there is a reduction in business activity beyond the control of the employer. The program includes special criteria to allow easier access to the Work Sharing Program for business affected by major disaster or public threats.” More information on this program can also be found by calling 1-866-891-5319
Eligibility:
Have been in business in Canada year-round for at least two years;
Be a private business, a publicly-held company, or a not-for-profit organization; o A publicly-held company is a for-profit company whereby its shares/stocks are owned by
the general public. Public sector employers, including government or publicly-owned corporations, such as crown corporations, are not eligible for Work-Sharing.
o For a not-for-profit employer to be eligible, the shortage of work must be directly associated with a reduction in the organizations normal level of business activity. A reduction in revenue levels alone (e.g. grants, donations, memberships, etc.) would not meet the Work-Sharing eligibility criteria.
Demonstrate that the shortage of work is temporary and beyond their control, and is not a cyclical/recurring slowdown;
Demonstrate a recent decrease in business activity of approximately 10%; and,
Submit and implement a recovery plan designed to return the Work-Sharing unit(s) to normal working hours by the end of the Work-Sharing agreement. There must be a reasonable expectation that recovery (i.e. a return to normal work hours for all participating employees) will be achieved by the end of the agreement.
Link: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/work-sharing.html
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Community Futures Sun Country BC Wildfire Response and Recovery
Loan Program Funded by: Community Futures Sun Country
Application Closes: There is currently no deadline to apply
Overview: Community Futures Sun Country has announced a BC Wildfire response and recovery loan program to help small businesses within its regional area that were impacted by wildfires. This program offers a loan of up to $10,000 to eligible businesses at prime plus 2 per cent interest over a four-year amortization period. There’s also an option to waive repayment obligations for up to eight months.
Eligibility:
Businesses with 50 or fewer employees
Operating when the emergency commenced
Hold a valid business licence
Unable to operate (or has operated at a reduced level) for more than five days due to wildfires
For more information, visit the Community Futures Sun Country office at 203 Railway Avenue in Ashcroft, or call 250-453-9165 (toll free 1-800-567-9911)
Business Ambassadors Program for Wildfire Recovery Funded by: Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT), Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC Cariboo Chilcotin, CFDC North Cariboo and CFDC Sun Country) and the Cariboo-Chilcotin Beetle Action Coalition (CCBAC)
Application Closes: There is currently no deadline to apply Overview: The Recovery Business Ambassadors will help businesses assess the impact of the wildfires on their operations, match their needs to available programs and services, assist with appropriate referrals and application processes and collect information that can help communities better understand the wildfire impacts in order to support new program development.
Eligibility:
Any businesses operating in the Cariboo-Chilcotin and Thompson-Nicola regions, which were affected by the 2017 wildfires and are struggling to recover, reopen and generate revenue.
For more information, visit the Community Futures Sun Country office at 203 Railway Avenue in Ashcroft, or call 250-453-9165 (toll free 1-800-567-9911)
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Rural Dividend Grant for Wildfire Recovery Initiatives Funded by: Government of BC Application Opens: November 15, 2017
Application Closes: December 15, 2017.
Overview: The BC Rural Dividend is providing $25 million a year to assist rural communities with a population of 25,000 or less to reinvigorate and diversify their local economies. It was developed to recognize both the contribution rural communities have made to B.C.’s economy, and the unique challenges they face to diversify beyond natural resources. Total funding: $25 million a year
Funding per applicant:
There are three funding streams for the Program, detailed below:
1. Project Development - Maximum Funding of $10,000
Support for communities with limited capacity to undertake preliminary work (e.g. feasibility assessments and business cases) to develop strong future projects.
Eligible applicants can apply for up to 100% of total project cost.
An approved project development grant does not provide a guarantee of funding in subsequent applications submitted to government of B.C funding programs.
2. Single Applicant - Maximum Funding of $100,000
Supports implementation of community-driven projects.
Eligible applicant must contribute at least 20% of the total project cost via financial or in-kind contributions (maximum 10% in-kind contribution).
Eligible applicant can apply for up to 80% of the total project cost to maximum of $100,000.
3. Partnerships - Maximum Funding of $500,000
Supports implementation of community-driven projects.
Eligible applicant must have at least one eligible partner.
Eligible applicant and eligible partners must contribute at least 40% of total project cost via financial or in-kind contributions (maximum 10% in-kind contribution).
Eligible applicant can apply for up to 60% of the total project cost to a maximum of $500,000.
Link: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/economic-development/support-
organizations-community-partners/rural-economic-development/rural-dividend/program-details2
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Small Business BC – BC Wildfire Resources for Small Business and “Ask
the Expert”
Funded by: Small Business BC
Application Closes: There is currently no deadline to apply Overview: Small Business BC is making sure people and businesses who have been impacted by the 2017 wildfire season are supported during this time of need by providing a special edition of Small Business BC’s ‘Ask the Expert’ service to help small businesses who have been impacted by wildfires throughout B.C. This service will allow fire-impacted small businesses to gain insight, advice and support from key professional fields.
Eligibility:
Any business in BC affected by wildfires
Link: http://smallbusinessbc.ca/article/bc-wildfire-resources-for-small-business/
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AGRI Recovery Program Funded by: AgriRecovery initiatives are cost-shared on a 60:40 basis between the federal government
and participating provinces or territories.
Administration: FrontCounter BC, Ministry of Agriculture offices
Application Opens: October 5, 2017
Application Closes: April 6th, 2018
Overview: The AgriRecovery Framework is part of a suite of federal-provincial-territorial (FPT) Business
Risk Management (BRM) tools under Growing Forward 2. AgriRecovery is an FPT disaster relief
framework intended to work together with the core BRM programs to help agricultural producers
recover from natural disasters.
BC Wildfire Specifics: B.C. ranchers and farmers can now access the $20-million 2017 Canada-British
Columbia Wildfires Recovery Initiative to help rebuild their livelihoods.
Total funding: $20-million
Inclusions:
The initiative will cover extraordinary costs incurred by agricultural producers, including:
Costs related to ensuring animal health and safety;
Feed, shelter and transportation costs; and
Costs to re-establish perennial crop and pasture production damaged by fire.
Exclusions:
Events which are cyclical, such as pricing cycles, or part of a long-term trend, such as a change in
markets, cannot be considered under AgriRecovery. The Wildfire Recovery Initiative provides some
assistance to help offset the extraordinary costs required to return to agricultural production. It is not
intended to compensate for farm income losses and does not diminish the need to purchase commercial
insurance for farm assets and infrastructure.
Link: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/programs/insurance-and-
income-protection-programs/bc-wildfires-agrirecovery-initiative
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Farm Business Recovery Advisory Services Program Funded by: BC Ministry of Agriculture The Farm Business Recovery Advisory Services Program Initiative is cost-shared between the federal and provincial governments on a 60 – 40 percent ratio Administration: BC Farm Industry Advisory Services Program Application Opens: November 8, 2017
Application Closes: March 31, 2018
Overview: The aim of the Farm Business Recovery Advisory Services Program is to assist farmers and ranchers to better understand the adverse effects of this year’s wildfires on their current production and financial situation, to enable them to implement an immediate and long-term recovery plan.
They will provide access to up to $5,000 for services such as basic financial analysis, specialized business planning and coaching services. The program also includes the customized B.C. Wildfire Recovery for Agriculture Workbook to help producers with their recovery planning.
Funding per applicant: $5000
Eligible activities include:
Impact assessment
Impact mitigation
Financial analysis
Financial management
Business strategy
Production economics
Marketing strategy
Human resources
Succession planning
Eligible Applicants:
B.C. agricultural producers that live in an area of British Columbia where the local government had issued an evacuation alert or evacuation order due to wildfire occurring during 2017
The applicant business was an active farming entity at the time of 2017 wildfire (i.e. participates in the day-today operations of the farm) and is a British Columbia resident that is over 19 years of age
Currently have BC Assessment Authority farm status
A farm operation with a minimum of $10,000 in annual gross farm sales income as stated on applicants Canada Revenue Agency’s income tax return
Link: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/agriservice-bc
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Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada: Advanced Payments Program Funded by: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Application Closes: January 31st, 2018
Overview: The Advanced Payments Program is a federal loan program which is available to assist crop and livestock producers meet their financial obligations through improved cash flow and better opportunities to market their agricultural products. Loans of up to $400,000 are available under the program, with the federal government covering the interest on the first $100,000.
B.C. Ranchers and Farmers can now register for the $20-million 2017 Canada-British Columbia Wildfires Recovery Initiative to help rebuild their livelihoods. The aim of the initiative is to assist agricultural producers with compensation for extraordinary expenses necessary for recovery and, more importantly, enable farms and ranches to return to production as quickly as possible.
Eligible activities include:
Up to 70% for extraordinary feed costs, including transportation to feed livestock through the
recovery period;
Up to $20 per head to remove hazards and general cleanup;
Up to $60 per head to re-establish safe winter feeding facilities where fire has destroyed cattle management infrastructure.
Up to 70% for veterinary, mustering and transportation costs;
Up to 70% for the market value of breeding livestock for mortality;
Up to 70% of extraordinary costs incurred by an industry organization and not paid by another agency or government department; and
Up to 70% of the extraordinary costs required to return to normal production, including:
o Labour costs to repair fences required for livestock and production of crops. o Critical infrastructure not covered by insurance o Reseeding/re-establishment of tame forage and other perennial crops damaged by fires.
For further information, please contact: the Ministry of Agriculture, Business Risk Management Branch at: Telephone: 1-888-332-3352
Email: [email protected]
Link: http://www.agr.gc.ca/eng/programs-and-services/list-of-programs-and-services/advance-
payments-program-1-overview/?id=1462198969862
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2017 British Columbia AgriStability Enhancement Program
Funded by: British Columbia government
Application Closes: April 30th, 2018
Overview: The British Columbia government has made special provisions to help producers who suffered income declines in 2017.
Producers throughout the province dealt with numerous challenges in 2017 including winter freeze, excessive moisture, and wildfires. The 2017 British Columbia AgriStability Enhancement Program allows agricultural producers to enroll late and without penalty into the existing AgriStability program. It also includes some enhancements to the AgriStability program but only for 2017.
This program includes an increase of AgriStability program benefits for all clients by:
Increasing the compensation rate from 70% to 80% on the positive margin loss; the payment is triggered when a producer’s current margin (allowable income less allowable expenses) drops more than 30% below their average historical margin (referred to as Reference Margin);
Eliminating the Reference Margin Limit. In the past, the program has used a Reference Margin Limit which was based on the lower of your Reference Margin or your average Allowable Expenses in the years used to calculate the Reference Margin; and
The program has an option for an Interim Application that allows for an advance payment of up to 75% of the estimated final payment.
Please complete and submit the 2017 Late Participant Initial Declaration and Authorization Form to the AgriStability Administration by scanning and emailing, faxing or by mail. Telephone: 1 877 343-2767 (toll free) Fax: 1 877 605-8467 (toll free)
Email: [email protected]
Link:https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriculture-seafood/programs/insurance-and-
income-protection-programs/bc-enhanced-agristability-program
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BC Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Wildfire Initiatives
Funded by: BC Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture in partnership with Destination BC, Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association (TOTA), Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association (CCCTA) and the Kootenay Rockies Tourism Association (KRTA).
Overview: The Province has provided $1.1 million to support tourism in areas affected by the wildfires. Specifically, the ministry provided a total of $600,000 to the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, the Thompson Okanagan, and Kootenay Rockies Tourism associations to help mitigate tourism-related losses caused by the fires and to support the tourism recovery needs. Destination BC has also reallocated $500,000 in marketing to support areas affected, for a total of $1.1 million
The first major outcomes include a survey to asses needs and numerous marketing campaigns development including one developed in partnership with Destination BC, Kootenay Rockies Tourism and Cariboo, Chilcotin Coast Tourism for a joint initiative to leverage funds for greater impact for Spring 2018.
Link: https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca/releases/news_releases_2017-2021/2017TAC0082-001684.pdf
BC Wildfire Service: Claims for the 2017 fire season
Overview: The BC Wildfire Service (“BCWS”) has a process to allow the public to report potential claims for compensation. This could include provisions to help with the clean-up of fire retardant, firebreak remediation, temporary road remediation, etc.
If businesses have a claim for compensation due to the wildfires during the provincial State of Emergency, they should provide the following information:
1. their name and their location, 2. a brief description of the alleged damages/losses they claim, 3. the date(s) these occurred; and, 4. the alleged cause or source of the losses/damages they claim.
Claims for compensation will be assessed in accordance with the Wildfire Act, Wildfire Regulation, and/or any other legislation that may apply. These acts can be viewed online: Wildfire Act - http://www.bclaws.ca/Recon/document/ID/freeside/00_04031_01 Wildfire Regulation http://www.bclaws.ca/Recon/document/ID/freeside/11_38_2005
All claims for compensation should be emailed to [email protected] or [email protected] . Once BCWS has received their email, they will be notified.
If businesses do not have email they can mail the BCWS- Wildfire Risk mailing address (PO Box 6502 STN PROV GOVT, Victoria BC V8W 9C1). Please put “Attention Claims” on the envelope.
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Mental Health Support Programs:
Overview: Understanding the signs and symptoms of stress and practicing the above self-care may help alleviate your stress; however there are many additional supports available. Needing additional information, support or counselling is very normal after a traumatic event and affected individuals are encouraged to seek help. Call 8-1-1 – HealthLinkBC is toll free and available 24 Hours Visit: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/explore-health-topics Call the BC Crisis Line – offering confidential support 24/7: 1-888-353-2273 (Cariboo Regional District Crisis Line) 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433) if you are considering suicide or are concerned about someone who may be considering suicide TTY: 1-866-872-0113 Call the KUU-US Crisis Line – a 24-hour Aboriginal crisis line 1-800-588-8717 toll free line Visit: http://www.kuu-uscrisisline.ca/ for specific adult/elder or child/youth supports Call the Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 – confidential support and online resources for children and teens Visit: https://kidshelpphone.ca/ Call 310Mental Health Support at 310-6789 (no area code needed) for emotional support, information and resources specific to mental health Visit BC211 – this online resource is provided by the United Way and will help you find appropriate health and wellness resources within your community See a doctor or other health professional if you are concerned about yourself or someone in your care who is struggling to function or still feeling stress. Visit: http://www.BC211.ca
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Tax Relief Programs: Funded by: Canada Revenue Agency Overview: In extraordinary circumstances (such as the B.C. Wildfires) Canada Revenue Agency may waive penalties or interest on outstanding tax payments To apply to have penalties or interest waived, download form RC4288 Request for Taxpayer Relief Canada Revenue Agency also offers to expedite taxpayer relief requests. Their business inquiries line can be reached at 1-800-959-5525
If books or records have been destroyed, call the CRA to inform them of the issue at 1-800-959-5525 The Canada Revenue may allow livestock producers to defer income from the sell down of breeding stock. This allows livestock producers to move the income from selling breeding stock into the future so it can be matched against the expense of repurchasing breeding stock. It is not certain at this time if this income deferral will be available in 2017.
Environmental Recovery Programs:
Funded by: The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development’s (FLNRORD)
Overview: The Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development’s (FLNRORD) recovery plans include immediate efforts related to rehabilitation from wildfires and firefighting, such as trail restoration, grass seeding and assessing slopes for stability. These and the following recovery efforts are being led through an incident command structure based in the Cariboo:
o Wildlife staff are assessing impacts on wildlife habitat.
o Forestry staff are assessing impacts on timber supply and prioritizing areas for reforestation and determining areas to issue salvage licence. Staff are also working closely with forest companies to expedite cutting permits to help people get back to work at the mill.
o Range staff will continue to work with ranchers to replace fencing and infrastructure and identify alternate grazing areas for livestock.
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