Modular homes headed to Hinton for seniors uprooted by Jasper wildfire

Maggie Kirk · CBC News

· Posted: Nov 06, 2025 8:30 AM EST | Last Updated: November 6

More than 1 twelvemonth aft a wildfire destroyed the Pine Grove Senior Citizens Manor successful Jasper, Alta., imperishable modular homes for displaced seniors are acceptable to get successful Hinton by the extremity of the twelvemonth — though not each erstwhile Pine Grove residents program to determination in.

The $18-million seniors analyzable astatine 134 Boutin Ave. volition see 21 stand-alone units built for autarkic living.

Although the units are meant to beryllium an interim lodging solution for seniors displaced by the Jasper wildfire, the homes volition enactment successful the Hinton community.

The task is afloat funded by the province, and the units volition beryllium operated by the Evergreens Foundation, a not-for-profit lodging enactment that volition enactment arsenic a landlord.

Jasper residents get priority

Pine Grove Manor was destroyed successful July 2024, displacing 33 seniors. 

“It's been truly hard successful immoderate ways — and heartwarming successful others — to spot the changes wrong the Pine Grove residents,” said Kristen Chambers, Evergreens’ main administrative officer. 

“Some of them person settled truly good into different communities.”

She said it took astir a twelvemonth to find lodging for everyone — immoderate ended up successful Wetaskiwin, Edmonton, Stony Plain, Spruce Grove and Edson. One went each the mode to Ontario.

Former Pine Grove residents volition person archetypal precedence erstwhile it comes to the modular homes, followed by different displaced Jasper seniors, past seniors from Hinton and Yellowhead County if spaces remain.

Rent is geared to income, meaning residents volition wage nary much than 30 per cent of their income.

What the caller homes offer

The 16 one-bedroom units and 5 2 bedroom-units volition each person a metallic shed, a tiny porch, in-suite laundry, beforehand and backmost door, a parking spot and infrastructure for stormwater management.

A attraction building, amenity structure and interior roadworthy with 2 entree points onto Boutin Avenue volition besides beryllium built.

“It's going to beryllium a bully happening for the seniors assemblage agelong term,” Chambers said, “and I judge that the state has made the close prime for the benignant of units.”

The determination was selected for its proximity to Pine Valley Lodge, allowing residents to enactment successful meals and activities astatine the 101-unit seniors analyzable portion surviving independently.

But Chambers said the parcel of land, which was sold to the state by the Town of Hinton for $1, comes with challenges fixed that determination were nary existing inferior hook-ups.

New h2o and sewer connections won’t beryllium functioning until the spring, Chambers said, truthful determination volition beryllium impermanent h2o and sewage tanks connected tract implicit the winter.

But erstwhile the homes are installed, they aren’t going anywhere.

Jordan Panasiuk, the main administrative serviceman for the Town of Hinton, said the municipality “can’t hold to invited the displaced Jasper seniors,” calling the task an important measurement for seniors lodging successful the region.

For some, the roadworthy backmost is uncertain

Stephen Nelson lived successful Pine Grove Manor for conscionable 11 days earlier the evacuation bid came successful 2024.

In Valemount, B.C., wherever the radical initially evacuated to, Nelson said they were “first-class refugees,” and later, erstwhile helium arrived astatine the Twin Pine edifice successful Hinton, it was the archetypal clip helium didn’t person to interest astir lodging successful a agelong time.

“I was little disquieted aft the demolition and demolition than I was before,” said Nelson, sharing that helium had immoderate trouble securing lodging successful Jasper earlier his abbreviated enactment astatine Pine Grove.

Stephen Nelson lived astatine Pine Grove Senior Citizens Manor for 11 days earlier each but his coin postulation was mislaid successful the 2024 Jasper wildfires. (Submitted Stephen Nelson)

Now that he’s secured lodging successful Edmonton to beryllium person to aesculapian care, he’s not truthful definite he’ll marque the travel back.

“If I were to spell backmost successful that direction, it would person to beryllium successful Jasper, not successful Hinton,” Nelson said.

“Rebuild Pine Grove Manor, marque it fireproof this time, and erstwhile you're ready, telephone maine and I'll fto you know.”

Jasper rebuild pending

Long-term solutions are connected the skyline successful Jasper, but Michael Fark of the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre said the state has not yet applied for a licence to rebuild. 

Pine Grove volition beryllium reconstructed astatine its archetypal determination astatine 720 Geikie St.

Amber Edgerton, a spokesperson with Alberta's ministry of assisted surviving and societal services, said the provincial authorities is committed to rebuilding seniors lodging successful Jasper.

She shared that the remains of the aged Pine Grove gathering person been demolished, and they are moving with the Evergreens Foundation to reconstruct what was lost, and to marque “meaningful enhancements.”

The caller manor volition person 45 units, an summation of 36 per cent compared to the archetypal building.

The state did not disclose a timeline for the caller and improved Pine Grove Manor successful Jasper.

Fark added that the municipality is exploring further onshore parcels successful Jasper for aboriginal improvement of seniors' housing.