‘Woefully inadequate’ response to Kashechewan crisis, officials say

The leadership of Kashechewan First Nation says it’s frustrated by the lack of federal and provincial government response to the community’s state of emergency.

The remote northern Ontario community declared a state of emergency Jan. 4 due to failing water infrastructure.

Residents are being evacuated as officials try to get the infrastructure repaired.

Hundreds of residents have already been evacuated to Timmins (37), Kapuskasing (250), Kingston (190) and now Niagara Falls. Officials are working to evacuate the entire population of 2,200 people.

Aging infrastructure

The crisis began after the water treatment system failed, sending sewage into homes and contaminating the water. It also flooded the only health-care facility, requiring a temporary move to the community school.

Residents are still without potable water, but bottled water has been brought into the community.

Kashechewan is working with Indigenous Services Canada and the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre to deal with the repairs and evacuation.

Indigenous Services Canada said water and wastewater management operations and consulting personnel have been deployed from a company called Northern Waterworks.

“Repairs are underway,” an Indigenous Services spokesperson said in an email.

Water testing underway

“The company was able to get the replacement pumps installed in the lift station and is bringing in additional equipment to the community to continue their work to resolve the situation. Water testing is also underway as repairs are being completed.”

But a Jan. 11 release from Kashechewan Chief Hosea Wesley and council said they were frustrated and disappointed in “the lack of appropriate government response to address these failures.”

“We are extremely disappointed with the response so far from our federal and provincial treaty partner,” Wesley said in the release, adding that no political leaders from Ontario have reached out.

He said the response from the federal government “does not meet the urgency of the situation that is unfolding in our community.”

Wesley called the response from both levels of government “woefully inadequate.”

Kashechewan executive director Tyson Wesley said some residents are sick with a gastrointestinal illness, but it’s unclear whether that is connected to the water situation or a stomach bug. He didn’t want to speculate without proper testing.

Left without proper health care

The community’s news release said the temporary nursing station is “operating at 40 per cent of the capacity … with no diagnostic tools and no telecom services to communicate with any doctors.”

“Nowhere else in Canada would you see an entire community left without the ability to access adequate health-care services,” Tyson Wesley said in the release.

In its email to CTV News, Indigenous Services Canada said that nurses “remain in the community and health services will be provided for emergencies only during this time. All patients will be triaged accordingly.”

It will continue to “closely monitor the situation and remain in contact with First Nation leadership and the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre,” the email said, adding that Indigenous Services Minister Mandy Gull-Masty has been in contact with Hosea Wesley directly.

“This is an evolving situation, and we will continue to respond to all critical needs, to support community members and leadership through this evacuation, and to get people back home as soon as possible.”

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