A Manitoba First Nation has filed a proposed class action lawsuit in relation to a power outage that caused significant damage and forced thousands from their homes. Members of Pimicikamak Cree Nation filed the lawsuit on Tuesday, listing Manitoba Hydro, the government of Manitoba and the attorney general of Canada as defendants. “We the people are suffering the consequences of that negligence,” said Chief David Monias during a news conference on Wednesday. “This lawsuit seeks accountability for the harm already caused and reliable infrastructure that will protect the community in the future,” he said. More than 4,000 members—over half of the community’s population—were evacuated after a Manitoba Hydro outage shut down the First Nation from Dec. 28, 2025, to Jan. 2, 2026. According to the statement of claim, the fallout from those 110 hours without power resulted in burst pipes, sewer damage, and infrastructure failure. Now, eight months later, there are still about 650 people out of their homes, according to the lawsuit. It claims 180 homes are deemed uninhabitable. Pimicikamak Coun. Shirley Robinson said the lawsuit could have been avoided. “We warned Manitoba Hydro and the province that the line was unreliable and that our community needed generators, better maintenance, and a second source of power,” Robinson said. She said the Crown corporation is at fault for not maintaining the one power line to the community. “In 2018 alone, Hydro acknowledged nine outages by July, indicating five outages in that month,” Robinson said. In a statement to CTV News, a Manitoba Hydro spokesperson said the Crown corporation intends to defend itself against this claim and will file a response in due course. A spokesperson for the attorney general of Canada said they are reviewing the statement of claim to determine next steps. A provincial spokesperson said it would not be appropriate for the province to comment at this time as the matter is before the courts. In the meantime—Cross Lake Days is taking place in the community this week, but leadership says it won’t be the same without everyone there. “Those people that are in the community are saying, ‘I miss my own grandfather and my grandmother,’” Monias said. “I miss my grandchildren. I would like to see our family be home.” Trippier Law, the legal counsel for the First Nation, told CTV News the proposed class action is in the early stages. A financial figure in damages sought has not yet been determined but could be upwards of millions of dollars. The firm estimates thousands of members from the remote First Nation will be involved in the lawsuit in the coming months.
