Kashechewan First Nation’s chief anticipates that the process of all evacuees returning home from the remote community in Ontario’s far north will likely span more than a week if everything goes as planned.
The state of emergency was declared by Kashechewan Chief Hosea Wesley on January 4 due to the unsafe tap water conditions, prompting most of the 2,300 residents to seek temporary accommodation in various Ontario locations, including Niagara Falls, Kingston, Timmins, Cochrane, and Kapuskasing.
Approximately 500 individuals in the community fell ill from ingesting cryptosporidium, a waterborne parasite causing gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Following repairs to the water treatment plant, lab tests conducted on July 27 confirmed the elimination of cryptosporidium from the system, deeming the water safe for consumption.
Initially scheduled to commence on August 4, return flights for evacuees in Niagara Falls were postponed due to ongoing wildfires in northwestern Ontario. The available aircraft were redirected to aid in the evacuation of communities threatened by the fires.
Flights for evacuees started on August 9, with around 700 individuals having returned to Kashechewan by Tuesday. Chief Wesley expects the remaining evacuees in Niagara Falls and other locations to return home within slightly over a week.
Despite the water treatment plant repairs and the addition of safety measures like a new ultraviolet light disinfection system, many community members remain distrustful of the local tap water. Although Kashechewan requested water filtration systems for every household, Indigenous Services Canada declined the request, citing the plant upgrades meeting Health Canada’s drinking water safety standards.
While the drinking water crisis in Kashechewan has been resolved, Chief Wesley emphasized the need for the community to brace for potential evacuations next year due to the annual risk of flooding when the frozen Albany River thaws. 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. Indigenous Services Canada approved around $8.4 million for detailed planning studies to facilitate the long-term relocation, with Wesley expressing hope for the completion of these studies within a year.