Evacuation underway in Ontario First Nation

An evacuation due to flooding fears was underway Monday at a remote First Nation community in northern Ontario.

Kashechewan First Nation Deputy Chief Hosea Wesley said more than 300 people from his community flew to Kapuskasing, Ont., on Sunday and about 200 residents were expected to leave over the course of Monday and today as major ice jams about 20 kilometres upriver threaten to flood the community near the mouth of James Bay.

Children, the elderly and the sick are being evacuated first as a precautionary measure, Wesley said, noting that the exodus has become an annual voyage for the community that sits on the Albany River.

“Our people are really tired of these evacuations and flooding, especially the children,” Wesley told The Canadian Press from Kashechewan.

“They cannot really study in school when this happens every year. We really, really need to move the community to higher ground, but we’re waiting for help from the governments.”

Local officials in consultation with the province will monitor the ice as open water moves towards the reserve where more than 2,000 people live.

Flooding occurs when the ice jams, which causes water levels to rise and puts pressure on the dike wall next to Kashechewan, Wesley said. High water can simply spill over the top of the dike.

Area MP Charlie Angus echoed Wesley’s desire to move the community.

“Their dike wall, despite the millions the government spent on it, cannot be made safe,” he said. “The risk factors too high if something goes wrong.”