‘It’s heartbreaking,’ says Ontario First Nation amid 2nd evacuation this summer

Neskantaga First Nation, a community in northern Ontario, has been forced to evacuate once again this summer due to a sewage flood at their only nursing station. Chief Gary Quisess expressed his distress over the situation, stating that it is heartbreaking to be displaced and that hotels are not a suitable long-term solution for the community.

The residents had to leave their homes earlier this month for the second time this summer, just days after they returned following a wildfire evacuation. Quisess emphasized that families are currently staying in overcrowded hotel rooms in Toronto and are eager to return to their homes as soon as possible. The fly-in community, located approximately 425 kilometers north of Thunder Bay, declared a state of emergency after a contractor's negligence damaged the septic system under the nursing station, which serves as the community's primary healthcare facility.

The federal government is urged to collaborate with the First Nation to address the issue, as the contractor's actions have had a significant impact on the community. NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa highlighted that 258 community members were evacuated to Toronto, emphasizing that the failure of essential infrastructure has once again forced the Neskantaga First Nation to leave their homes.