TEGART – Government needs to get its act together on rebuilding of Lytton

By JACKIE TEGART
MLA, Fraser-Nicola

MORE THAN 700 DAYS after the community of Lytton burned to the ground, I was hoping to use a column like this one to share the exciting news of residents rebuilding, businesses reopening and health services returning — of people rejoicing about coming home.

Unfortunately, this is not the story of Lytton today. As we get set to mark the two-year anniversary of this devastating incident, not a single home has been rebuilt within the village, nor a business community re-established.

People are growing weary of waiting. Some have made the difficult decision to settle in a new community and permanently leave Lytton for good. Others, who had hoped to return, have sadly passed away in the time they were waiting.

Many others continue to try to carry out some semblance of a normal life, somewhere else — trying to figure out how much longer they can afford to wait. The financial and emotional toll deepens.

Two years into this recovery effort, it’s still unclear who is in charge at the provincial level. Millions of dollars have been spent — yet who is accountable? We have heard promise after promise and seen plenty of announcements and photo-ops. Yet here we find ourselves today, with virtually nothing to show for it except excuses and finger-pointing. Surely, we can do better.

If we need an example of ‘better,’ we can look no further than the kind-hearted people of Lytton themselves. Mayor Denise O’Connor recently shared how the local AG Foods store owners David and Jasmine Choi, who remain displaced since the fire, have returned a few times over the past two years to host community dinners for those living in the area and for those driving in from the communities they are living in temporarily.

They just hosted another dinner last week in conjunction with the Love First Nation Ministry, serving about 200 delicious and nourishing meals and allowing people to enjoy a real sense of community again.

But the people of Lytton want that connection and community back in their lives for more than just a few hours. After two years, it’s not asking a lot. This NDP government must get its act together and expedite the rebuilding process so they can finally find some peace.

Jackie Tegart was elected as the MLA for Fraser-Nicola in 2013, 2017, and 2020. She currently serves as Assistant Deputy Speaker.