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

Neskantaga First Nation finds itself in a heartbreaking situation once again, as they have been forced to evacuate for the second time this summer. The community's chief, Gary Quisess, spoke during a press conference at Queen's Park, expressing his distress over the repeated displacement of residents. This evacuation comes just days after they had returned home following a wildfire evacuation.

The primary issue at hand is a sewage flood at the community's only nursing station, which has left families staying in crowded hotel rooms in Toronto. Quisess emphasized that a hotel is not a suitable long-term solution for the community, as they have already lost their summer plans, a community festival, a family reunion, and a youth retreat. He highlighted the overcrowding problem in Neskantaga and stated that the current situation is unsuitable.

The fly-in community, located about 425 kilometers north of Thunder Bay, declared a state of emergency after a contractor caused damage to the septic system under the nursing station, which serves as the community's sole healthcare facility. Quisess called for the federal government to work with the community to address the situation, as he believes that shortcuts taken by contractors are unacceptable.

He reiterates that "our lives matter" and that the community has treaty and inherent rights that require immediate government intervention.

NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa, representing the Kiiwetinoong riding in northern Ontario, echoed the concerns of the community, stating that a total of 258 members were evacuated from Neskantaga First Nation to Toronto. He emphasized that essential infrastructure failure has once again forced the people of Neskantaga to leave their community. Mamakwa also noted that the community was evacuated in July due to wildfires and again last year when the same nursing station was flooded with diesel, eventually returning home in April 2025.