Ross River Dena Council faces 'crisis' of contaminated homes

The Ross River Dena Council in Yukon says more than half of its houses are contaminated with toxic levels of mould, radon, diesel and sewage. It calls the situation "an emergency" that needs to be addressed before winter sets in.    

A recent survey commissioned by the First Nation found that about half of its 130 houses are too toxic to live in. It says 47 of those homes are still occupied, though 27 of them are considered uninhabitable. Another 20 to 40 homes are considered "marginal." 

It says 16 homes had to be abandoned, and at least two of them have just been demolished.

The survey found mould, radon, petroleum and sewage is contaminating the air in the homes, but the First Nation says there's no place for the residents to move to.

The Dena Council has sent a letter to all Yukon's political parties, now in the middle of an election campaign, pleading for help.

"Our housing is hurting our people," the letter states. "Our community housing is in an emergency crisis situation." 

The First Nation says 27 homes are "filled with toxic mould or levels of other contaminants ... which is significantly affecting the health of the families with children (many with babies and toddlers), and elders who live in them. These homes are beyond repair, and must be demolished."

Vera Sterriah lives in one of the contaminated homes — a trailer that's more than 30 years old.

"There's mould through the walls, through the flooring, in the bathroom," she said.

"I've seen the report and they said, 'there's ice in between the walls.' So I imagine there's mould in there, because of the moisture ... on the insulation."

Sterriah said the living conditions have affected her health, and she's sought medical help.

"Runny nose, runny eyes, rashes. The smell is pretty bad because the [furnace] heats up the moisture. I get headaches all the time, and [get] hard of breathing," she said.

"Now I'm on three puffers. And they put me on one medication, to open my airway. That's a hard part for me. Breathing is getting hard for me."

She said that knowing she's breathing toxic air makes her anxious — and angry — but there's no other housing available.

Sterriah says she spent the summer months out in the bush, to avoid the toxic conditions, but with the arrival of winter, she's stuck. Her only option, she says, would be to leave her community and move to Faro, or Whitehorse. 

"I don't know where to go, what to do," she said. 

'Very poor living conditions'

Teresa Tom and her two children were forced to move out of their Ross River home because of sewage leaks, which froze underneath her house.  

"It's very poor living conditions," Tom said. "In the wintertime, there [was] a big block of ice underneath my house, so with the sewer seeping into the house, my kids suffered from headaches and bleeding noses and dizziness.

"We stayed in there for about two years."

64-year-old Harry Atkinson lived for more than eight years in a house shown by the housing survey to have a subfloor riddled with black mould. He said the house had a horrible smell, and he began to have trouble breathing.

"I started smelling stuff right at the beginning. When I first got there. My friend told me, 'what's that smell?' I started coughing up stuff," he said. 

"You could hear me breathing, right across the room. And coughing up all kinds of stuff."

Atkinson said the house was inspected, but he remained there for some time afterwards.

Last year, he was diagnosed with lung cancer, and since then the First Nation was able to find a Yukon Housing Corporation home for him to move into. It's mould-free, and Atkinson said since he moved in, he's been feeling better.

James Dick, head of housing maintenance for the Ross River Dena Council, said the First Nation's trailers are susceptible to leaks and moisture problems, although many of the frame houses are also contaminated. 

He's particularly worried about one family that has two children, both under three years of age. He says their mobile home has water damage and black mould. 

"It's at a point where I don't think they should be living in there. Personally, I think it's not safe."

Chief compares crisis to Attawapiskat 

Ross River Dena Chief Jack Caesar compared the situation in his community to that of Attawapiskat, in northern Ontario. 

"I suggested that we're second [to Attawapiskat], nationally, in regards to the crisis of housing," he said.

He said the First Nation had sent a letter to the territorial minister responsible for the Yukon Housing Corporation, but said all the Yukon government did was send a "letter of support" to the federal government.  

He feels Ross River has been chronically neglected by the Yukon government.

"It's the end of the road that we seem to be on, in the rural communities. Not too many doors of opportunity open in our area, for sure. And I think it's about time that the government of today recognize our needs."

Caesar said the federal government committed $2.3 million for emergency repairs — including $1.6 million for three new duplexes, $250,000 for renovations to existing homes, and another $250,000 to clear lots for the new duplexes.

But he said the caveat is that the work must be completed over the winter, and he said it will be challenging to start construction and build over the winter months.  

Caesar said he appreciates the federal assistance, but says the First Nation needs to find emergency housing for between 48 and 60 families "before winter if possible."

He added the First Nation "has no funds" needed to demolish the dozens of homes that are considered beyond repair.