Jasper鈥檚 representative in the House of Commons, Gerald Soroka, has asked for more support for the municipality.
Soroka spoke at a special committee meeting on the COVID-19 pandemic on April 29 in Ottawa.
He outlined Jasper鈥檚 financial struggles and asked for the municipality鈥檚 federal land rent to be eliminated for this year.
鈥淭he town of Jasper is heavily reliant on tourism which is now non-existent,鈥� said Soroka.
鈥淓ach year they pay land rent for municipal purposes such as roads, parks and cemeteries and they have been told that the land rent will be deferred until September but they still can鈥檛 afford it.鈥�
Soroka asked ministers to help the towns of Jasper and Banff, the only two municipalities in Canada that pay land rent to the federal government, by eliminating land rent for this year.
His request was responded to by Chrystia Freeland, deputy prime minister and minister of intergovernmental affairs.
She said: 鈥淲e are very aware of the challenges municipalities across the country are facing and very aware of the particular challenges the tourism sector is facing and we are working closely with municipalities across the country to support them.鈥�
Soroka smiled. 鈥淣ot a yes or a no but I guess I have to take it,鈥� he said.
Soroka went on to question the Minister of Agriculture, Marie-Claude Bibeau, asking about programs geared specifically towards agriculture, if there was a food emergency preparedness plan, and raised concerns surrounding meat processing capacity.
