Kashechewan First Nation’s chief anticipates that the return of all evacuees from the remote Cree community in northern Ontario will likely span over a week if everything goes as planned.
Chief Hosea Wesley of Kashechewan declared a state of emergency on January 4 due to the contamination of tap water, rendering it unsafe for consumption. Consequently, the majority of the community’s 2,300 residents have been residing in various hotel accommodations across Ontario, including locations in Niagara Falls, Kingston, Timmins, Cochrane, and Kapuskasing.
Approximately 500 individuals in Kashechewan fell ill from consuming water contaminated with a parasite called cryptosporidium, resulting in gastrointestinal ailments like nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Following repairs to the water treatment facility, tests conducted on July 27 confirmed the elimination of cryptosporidium from the system, indicating that the water is now safe to drink.
Although flights for evacuees from Niagara Falls were initially scheduled to commence on August 4, Chief Wesley disclosed that the plans were postponed due to wildfires in northwestern Ontario. The available aircraft were redirected to aid in the evacuation of individuals from fire-threatened communities.
Flights for Kashechewan evacuees finally began on August 9, with around 700 individuals out of the Niagara Falls group already returning home by Tuesday. Wesley projects that the remaining evacuees in Niagara Falls and other locations will be able to return home within slightly over a week at the current rate.
Despite the enhancements made to the water treatment plant, such as the installation of a new ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection system, Wesley acknowledged that many residents still harbor distrust towards the local tap water. While the community requested that Indigenous Services Canada install water filtration systems in every household, the department declined, citing compliance with Health Canada’s guidelines for safe drinking water through the plant upgrades.
Looking ahead, Wesley emphasized the need for Kashechewan to brace for potential future evacuations, as the community faces the annual risk of flooding during the spring thaw of the frozen Albany River. Advocating for the relocation of the community to higher ground, Wesley highlighted that evacuations are not a sustainable solution.
The federal government pledged in 2019 to relocate Kashechewan approximately 30 kilometers south to a designated area known as “Site 5” within a decade. Last year, Indigenous Services Canada approved around $8.4 million for detailed planning studies to facilitate the long-term relocation of Kashechewan. Wesley expressed hopes for the timely completion of these studies within a year.
