Nunavik village declares state of emergency over fire and water shortage

A snowmobile makes its way across the ice near Inukjuak, Nunavik, Thursday, May 12, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld) (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

A northern Quebec village has declared a state of emergency after a fire destroyed two homes in the community, which has also been dealing with a months-long water shortage.

The municipal council of Puvirnituq, an Inuit community in the Nunavik region, made the decision Saturday after crews struggled to contain a blaze that broke out around 3 p.m.

In a message posted to Facebook late Saturday evening, Mayor Lucy Qalingo said two homes had been destroyed and called on the federal and provincial governments to “stop ignoring” the needs of northern communities, which she described as “forgotten Canadians.”

Ongoing water shortages in Puvirnituq prompted the Quebec government to begin evacuating patients from a health facility earlier in the week.

The village’s 2,100 residents have gone without consistent access to water for about two months, after a water pipe froze during a mid-March blizzard.

The community has had to truck in water under extreme weather conditions, navigating icy and snow-covered roads.

The local health centre has reported an increase in people seeking treatment for gastroenteritis linked to the water shortage.

Ian Lafrenière, the minister responsible for relations with First Nations and Inuit, said on social media that fire crews have informed him the water line should be restored “soon.”

He said about 54 tonnes of water have been brought into the village via an overpass and distributed to residents since Friday afternoon.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French May 18, 2025.