Evacuation underway in Kashechewan, Ont., due to spring flooding of Albany River
A precautionary evacuation of about 600 people from Kashechewan First Nation is underway with the first group arriving in Kapuskasing on Friday.
The annual spring flooding of the Albany River has yet to begin, but officials aren’t taking any chances.
“The evacuation certainly is going to happen,” said Joe Tom Sayers, general manager for Missanabe Cree Business Corp.
“We're planning for at least a two-week stay within our normal sites. The river levels are being monitored daily by the community and natural resources. We're getting daily briefings from them as far as the risk of the dike being actually breached or not -- and whether or not, you know, there has to be an additional number of members being evacuated due to more serious risk for.”
Sayers said other locations community members have chosen for this year’s evacuation include Timmins, Smooth Rock Falls, Val-Rita Harty and, for the first time, Kirkland Lake and Barrie. Flights will resume this weekend and on Monday and Tuesday.
“We have made arrangements with the City of Barrie to host the most vulnerable folks with things like dialysis and other types of critical medical needs and of course their family members,” said Sayers.
Closer to home
“We also have other sites where we're sending the remaining folks to across northern Ontario. There's always been a preference for the community to stay as close as possible to their home and within their traditional territory.”
This is the first year that the evacuation is entirely Indigenous-led. Missanabie Cree First Nation and Kashechewan First Nation established the partnership earlier this year. They said this collaboration is the first step towards First Nations managing their own emergencies.
“We're in the process of constructing an 800-room emergency evacuation shelter in the Missanabie Cree First Nation Reserve that should be available for occupancy in the early spring of 2025,” said Sayers.
“So we're about halfway through the construction of that particular facility. It's an investment which means the community of Missanabie and the federal government of about $70 million. So not a lot of small ask, but it's definitely something that's been a long time in coming.”
Sayers said this means this could be the last year for large-scale evacuations from the James Bay Coast, but he said it’s a community’s decision where they ultimately want to go.
He said the shelter can also be used for emergencies other than floods.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Judge holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000 and raises threat of jail in hush money trial
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. If he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
BREAKING 4 dead, including infant, in wrong-way crash involving police on Ontario's Highway 401
A wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby, Ont. last night has left four people dead, including an infant, Ontario’s police watchdog says.
New cancer treatment approved, but not everyone thinks it's what's best for patients
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
Statistics Canada says real GDP grew 0.2 per cent in February
Canada's GDP rose 0.2 per cent in February, driven by a rebound in transportation and warehousing, which saw the largest recorded month-to-month rise in over a year at 1.4 per cent.
Canada's new dental program offering hope of free care to millions but many dentists aren't signed up
A new Canadian dental care program is offering the hope of free care to millions, but while 1.7 million people have signed up for the plan, only about 5,000 dentists have done the same.
Police searching for 'armed man' in Dartmouth, N.S., residents asked to shelter in place
Residents in the area of Gaston Road in Dartmouth, N.S., are being asked to shelter in place as police search for an armed suspect.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.