BONNYVILLE – It is official, the MD of Bonnyville will keep its one-time $2,500 bursary to qualifying victims of fire.
The future of the MD’s Financial Assistance for Victims of Fire Policy grant was slated to be rescinded following the 2023 budget deliberations, but after members of council expressed their desire to keep and continue the bursary program, discussions remained ongoing.
As of March 14, council moved to amend the policy rather than chopping it altogether.
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Outlining concerns with the existing policy, MD CAO Al Hoggan stated that a clause in the policy required the CAO to conclude that the fire was not considered unlawful or suspicious before presenting the one-time bursary.
“I don't know how in a 24-hour period or 48-hour period that information will come to light,” Hoggan told council, sharing his concerns.
“I'm certainly not in a position from my office, signing the cheque and authorizing the payment, to make that determination unless the fire chief or the RCMP came to me and said, ‘By the way, we suspect something.’ Then I might withhold payment until we can come to council.”
For that reason, administration proposed to remove the statement that reads: “The CAO concludes that the fire was not caused by unlawful or suspicious activities perpetrated or abetted by dwellers within the residence.”
The reason to strike the statement included conflict with council’s desire to make the payment available immediately following the fire and the fact that the CAO does not have the expertise to determine whether a fire is considered unlawful or suspicious.
Other amendments to the Financial Assistance for Victims of Fire Policy were also adopted.
For a property owner to be eligible for the one-time bursary, the property must be a primary residence situated within the MD’s municipal boundaries and not currently in tax arrears with the municipality.
There must also be a substantial loss due to fire in the person’s place of primary residence. The policy now defines a primary residence as a residence that is normally occupied by the homeowner or a renter for more than nine months in a calendar year.
Funding for this program comes from the Council Grants to Individuals and Non-Government Organizations budget. Annual funding for the program varies depending on the number of fires eligible for payment.
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