Vulnerable members of Neskantaga First Nation to be evacuated from community

A flood in the nursing station has forced the transfer of 131 vulnerable members of Neskantaga First Nation to Thunder Bay, Ont., 450 km away. “Our vulnerable people require full and immediate access to health services that, unfortunately, is not available in Neskantaga,” said Chief Gary Quisses in a statement on Tuesday. “We are not willing to put any high-risk people in a compromising position due to the nursing station being closed. “We acknowledge the support of Indigenous Services Canada in responding to the seriousness of this crisis and we hope that some other logistical challenges we are experiencing with other partners, like the City of Thunder Bay, will be resolved.” On April 13, the community declared a state of emergency after health care staff noticed water seeping in from the walls and a strong smell of fuel. Water on the floor of the nursing station. Photo courtesy Neskantaga First Nation Neskantaga is a fly-in community. According to Quisses, community leaders met with government officials on Monday to look for a potential site for a temporary nursing home until current issues are resolved. “Locations within the community are very limited and are not without disruption to programs and services,” said Quisses. “The plan is to return vulnerable evacuees to the community after a temporary site in the community has been identified, retrofitted and supplied with medical equipment.” Officials are assessing the situation at the nursing station to determine the cause of the flood and smell of fuel, the release added. Continue Reading