$1.3M announced for Highway 63 emergency services

As many as four full-time emergency responders will be hired to respond to crashes along a stretch of Highway 63 that has been the focus of a dispute involving two northern Alberta volunteer fire departments.

On Monday, the province announced it will contribute $800,000 towards a new regional initiative to hire the emergency workers. The remaining $500,000 will come from Athabasca County.

The money will also help the area come up with a regional plan for providing fire and emergency services along Highway 63, which is the main road to Fort McMurray.

The road has a reputation for being one of Alberta's deadliest highways.

Last year, volunteer firefighters in Wandering River and Plamondon stopped responding to vehicle crashes along the highway because the workload was too great for their small departments.

The province set up a working group in response for consulting with first responders and municipalities to come up with a solution.

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