The Saskatchewan government says trapper cabins are not eligible for disaster relief through the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP), responding to public statements from the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC) for policy changes following one of the most destructive wildfire seasons in provincial history.
PAGC issued a public statement Tuesday urging the province to extend PDAP eligibility to trapline cabins registered under the Traditional Resource Use (TRU) program. That same day, Grand Chief Brian Hardlotte told the Daily Herald the current rules leave Indigenous families without support after losing vital structures used for food harvesting, traditional teaching, and survival.
“These are not vacation cottages,” Hardlotte said. “They’re homes, workplaces, and a way of life for many families across the North.”
The Saskatchewan government provided a written response Thursday, confirming that such cabins remain ineligible under PDAP.
“Trapper cabins are insurable and as such are not eligible for assistance through PDAP,” the spokesperson said. “Though not a replacement for private insurance, PDAP may help cover essential uninsurable losses such as cleanup, repairs, and temporary relocation.”
Hardlotte said many of the cabins lost in this year’s wildfires were modest, uninsured structures built under provincial rules, often handed down through generations and used year-round.
“These are not million-dollar cabins,” Hardlotte said. “They’re one-room homes, and they matter. We followed the rules. Now we’re just asking for fairness.”
This year’s wildfire season has scorched vast areas across Saskatchewan. According to a PAGC media release issued Tuesday, more than 2.3 million hectares had burned across Saskatchewan as of mid-July, nearly triple the province’s 10-year average, based on figures attributed to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency. However, in its most recent update on Thursday, the SPSA reported that approximately 1.8 million hectares have been impacted to date. Fires have destroyed traplines and cabins near Denare Beach, Pelican Narrows, Grandmother’s Bay, Sucker River, Hall Lake, and Montreal Lake.
Hardlotte said while municipal homes and houses on reserves receive priority for aid, Indigenous trappers are being excluded. He is calling for a face-to-face meeting with the province to address the gap and push for more inclusive recovery policies.
“Trappers don’t qualify for PDAP. But when cleanup is needed, they’re still expected to meet environmental regulations under the law,” Hardlotte said. “That’s thousands of dollars out of pocket.”
While the provincial government says PDAP may assist with cleanup in eligible cases, trapline cabins remain excluded under current rules. As a result, Hardlotte said trappers are left to cover environmental cleanup costs themselves despite receiving no provincial support.
In an email to the Daily Herald, a provincial government representative said the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency continually reviews its programs to ensure they are meeting the needs of the population. The spokesperson added that through its Recovery Task Team, PDAP will be discussing ways to enhance future programming to better reflect the needs of Indigenous land users in the north.
“These are our homes on the land,” Hardlotte said. “They’re where we teach our grandchildren, where we go for healing, and now they are gone.”
