GWNT officials say they hope to resume re-entry of critical businesses as soon as the highways are safe to travel on.
Officials gave an update on the city’s re-population plan during a press conference Thursday evening.
Yellowknife Mayor Rebecca Alty posted on her social media account earlier in the day that the city was reaching out to critical businesses to arrange a return to the city and asked people not to call the city asking to be on the critical business list.
“City staff are calling businesses who are deemed critical to be open for the public on the first few days home. We have the categories of businesses and we have the list of Yellowknife businesses who fit in those categories, and we’re calling them,” she wrote in the post.
Alty added the critical businesses being looked at include grocery stores and daycare centres. The GNWT’s ‘Re-entry after an evacuation’ website lists hospitals, health clinics, pharmacies, hotels, gas stations, grocery stores and essential businesses such as early childcare providers as critical parts of Phase 3.
“Yesterday was a tough day,” she said during the press conference. “The good news is that health care related staff are able to come home by air. The hospital needs the most time to get back to basic service level.”
Alty cautioned the hospital won’t be fully staffed when Phase 5 comes into effect.
“We have a list of names, whether they’ll be driving back or whether we’ll need to book a flight,” she said. “The light at the end of the tunnel is still there, but it’s just been pushed forward a bit.”
She noted the city also paused its Phase 3 re-entry because of concerns of food availability for the people currently back in the city.
Yellowknife city manager Sheila Bassi-Kellett said all three major grocery stores have been contacted.
Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority CEO Kimberly Riles said they have asked their people to return by air if possible.
“It’s really critical to re-establish health care services,” she said.
She said NTHSSA was preparing to pay staff who fly back and leave a vehicle behind to go back and claim their vehicle at a later date.
John McDonald, deputy minister for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, said the department is reaching out to licensed child care providers in the city and asking them if they’re willing to open.
“Everybody who is interested and able and wants to come back are being asked and we will compile that list and provide that to the city in the moment,” he said.
Emergency Management Organization information officer Jay Boast said the plan to return the people to the community is continuing.
He said everyone has to take care of their level of responsibility.
“With that in mind, we want to make sure the highways are safe,” he said. “We will be asking people to do significant planning for their (return) trip. We will be putting out advice and guidance.”
Department of Infrastructure acting assistant deputy minister Jeffrey Edison said the GNWT was looking at ensuring gas stations along the roads will be sufficiently stocked with fuel for vehicles.
Wildfire information officer Mike Westwick said there was a high probability winds would push wildfires over Highway 1, which could further delay re-entry. He said said from the fire and smoke danger, the lack of visibility makes driving on the highway even more dangerous.
“I saw a structural fire truck with all their lights on emerge from the smoke and fog (Thursday) morning just a couple feet away from me without ever having seen it,” he said. “Surely, even if you disagree with decisions being made, surely you do care about the people in your vehicle, and your own safety. So keep that in mind. Please.”
During an Aug. 25 press conference, Yellowknife city manager Sheila Bassi-Kellett said there were approximately 100 volunteers who provided chainsaw support, logistics, refuelling and other supports.
She said the city had deemed those volunteers are essential workers. Another 20 or so did not have the proper skill sets to be considered essential and were asked to contemplate leaving the city.
An estimated 1,600 people remain in the city of Yellowknife. Emergency Management Organization information officer Jennifer Young has said that approximately 1,000 of those are essential workers and the rest are people who chose not to evacuate.