Frustrations are growing in a distant First Nation as preparations are being made to relocate residents from the secluded fly-in community in northern Ontario due to water contamination issues.
Chief Hosea Wesley of Kashechewan First Nation declared a local emergency after the water treatment facility in the community fell into disrepair. The Cree community, home to approximately 2,300 individuals along the James Bay Coast, is struggling to obtain an adequate supply of bottled water.
The malfunction of pumps at the water treatment plant in early December prevented the mixing of necessary chemicals for water purification. Subsequently, the intake system for raw sewage at the wastewater treatment plant began to fail later that month.
Leaders from the community, during a discussion with Indigenous Services Canada, requested military assistance for a comprehensive evacuation to northeastern Ontario cities like Timmins and Kapuskasing. By Thursday morning, one flight to Timmins and five flights to Kapuskasing had been arranged, as confirmed by Tyson Wesley, the executive director of Kashechewan First Nation.
Eric Head, a spokesperson for Indigenous Services Canada, mentioned that the Loomex Group, a provincial contractor, was tasked with managing the evacuation of 500 vulnerable individuals from Kashechewan to Timmins and Kapuskasing. Plans for evacuating the rest of the community are still being coordinated.
Efforts were made to evacuate the community’s most vulnerable residents via chartered flights, including a commercial flight using a small aircraft, confirmed by Tyson Wesley. Additional flights were organized by officials in Kashechewan.
Chief Wesley expressed dissatisfaction with the response received, emphasizing the urgent need for clean water for the community members, especially children and other vulnerable individuals.
Timmins Mayor Michelle Boileau affirmed Timmins’ readiness to accommodate approximately 35 evacuees from Kashechewan, particularly those with medical requirements due to the presence of the Timmins and District Hospital.
As a result of issues with the water treatment plant, a sewage backup occurred at the community’s clinic, prompting the relocation of patients, equipment, and medication to a nearby elementary school.
Indigenous Services Canada dispatched workers from Northern Waterworks to Kashechewan promptly to address the repairs needed at the water treatment plant. The replacement pump was successfully installed, with additional equipment en route to resolve the situation.
Mass evacuations during the spring are nearly an annual routine in Kashechewan due to the community’s location on a flood plain along the Albany River. Plans for relocating the First Nation to a safer area have been discussed with the federal government for years, with past commitments and timelines now uncertain under the new government.
Despite a commitment of $8.4 million for relocation planning studies, Chief Wesley highlighted the community’s reluctance to invest in a new water treatment plant before the relocation is finalized.