Flooding prompts exodus from First Nation

OTTAWA — The pain of spring flooding at a First Nation in northern Ontario is hitting harder this year, as government promises for a permanent new location remain far from reality.

Starting on Monday, more than 2,500 members of the Kashechewan First Nation were to be flown out from the reserve, located north of Fort Albany, Ont., and sent to other locations across the province.

Over the weekend, the chief and council declared a state of emergency.

NDP MP Charlie Angus said Kashechewan has long dealt with spring flood and evacuations but community members are finding this year harder because they believed the federal government was finally moving ahead on plans to relocate the reserve to higher ground.

“This year, there is a lot of bitterness among people because it is just another broken promise, just another year of flooding and just another year of mass evacuations,” Angus said.

He said the plan has been to move forward with building a new community over the span of five to 10 years, adding it simply does not make sense to spend millions on constantly trying to repair a dyke wall, as well on evacuations and addressing flood damage.

Indigenous Services Minister Seamus O’Regan said the federal government remains “steadfast” in its commitment to relocate Kashechewan. He was hesitant to say when the relocation will happen, but said work is underway with the community and the Ontario government.