Skyrocketing construction costs along with the cost of archaeological work required under the Heritage Conservation Act are just two factors facing Lytton residents as they continue rebuilding efforts three years after a devastating fire.
Debris removal, soil remediation, and insurance costs are also affecting the rebuild process.
On June 30, 2021, 90 per cent of the Village of Lytton burned to the ground. 200 people died and hundreds were displaced.
The first home rebuild began last December and since then the construction of six more buildings has begun. Two archeological digs are underway, with more starting next week.
Mayor Denise O’Connor said that despite the challenges, she has never given up hope that Lytton will rebuild.
“I think something that’s driven me is to try and be as optimistic as possible,” she said. “To look forward, not to dwell on what’s happened over the last three years, although I’m sure that will come out someday, but it’s really important to keep hopeful and keep things moving forward.”
Municipal services such as sewer and water have been restored. Plans for a grocery store are still in the works.
“We need the continued support and advocacy of regional, provincial, and federal governments and partners to help streamline processes and costs for rebuilding, particularly when it comes to archeology,” O’Connor added.
The Village of Lytton and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District are suing Canada’s two national railways and Transport Canada, alleging they were negligent in letting trains pass through the town during the deadly 2021 heat dome.
The lawsuit says a train passed through the village 18 minutes before the first report of a fire near the tracks that eventually destroyed 90 per cent of the town’s buildings and scorched an additional 837 square kilometres of land. A 2022 report from the Transportation Safety Board, however, stated investigators could find no evidence that the wildfire was started by a spark from a train.
