No end in sight for Neskantaga First Nation evacuees as nursing station repairs continue

Three weeks after evacuees first landed in Thunder Bay, Ont., from Neskantaga First Nation, Chief Gary Quisses says there's no clear timeline for when community members can return home.

The evacuation was prompted by flooding and a smell of fuel at the remote community's only nursing station. A state of emergency has been in effect since April 13. As of this week, 176 evacuees and their indoor pets remain in the northwestern Ontario city.

On Tuesday, community leaders met with representatives from Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) and other stakeholders in Neskantaga to discuss next steps as the First Nation looks to repatriate its members.

"The frustration is growing big in the community and here in the city," said Quisses in an interview with CBC News Wednesday.

"The movement is so slow. If it was an urban area, it would probably be quick, but for us it's always a double standard. We have to wait to get our issues addressed."

Initially, community nurses were using an 8-by-10-foot room for limited health assessments after the nursing station was closed. Since then, a larger, temporary nursing station has been set up in a home in the community.

However, Quisses said the space isn't fully functional yet and still needs phone and fax connections set up.

Fewer than 400 people live in the remote Ojibway community, which is about 450 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay. Neskantaga is known for being under Canada's longest-standing boil-water advisory, which has been in place for 30 years. 

A spokesperson for ISC told CBC News in an email Tuesday that remediation work at the Rachael Bessie Sakanee Memorial Health Centre — the community's permanent nursing station — began April 22.

"Initial investigation indicates that the flood and fuel smell were likely a result of a failed sump pump and used fuel spill kit that was being stored in the basement," said ISC spokesperson Jacinthe Goulet.

While air quality testing and occupational health and safety inspections, completed by Matawa First Nations Management, have deemed the building to be safe, the community has requested further assessments before reopening the nursing station.

"ISC is working very closely with Matawa and community leadership to ensure all the necessary work is completed to re-open the Rachael Bessie Sakanee Memorial Health Centre as soon as possible," Goulet said.

Supporting evacuees on the ground

Emergency workers in Thunder Bay have ample experience facilitating community evacuations.

Robert Wark, emergency management co-ordinator at Thunder Bay Fire Rescue, said the focus is keeping evacuees comfortable while they're staying in one of the city's hotels.

"Make sure that everybody's got their shelter, they've got food, they've got some activities to keep them positive, and then just try to keep all of the information flowing from the community and the individuals back home about what's happening in the community," Wark said.

While evacuees are in town, Matawa First Nations Management has been trying to meet as many of their health-care needs as they can, he added.

"Some other things that they may not be able to get as easily in their community, such as dental visits and stuff that they often would travel for, we'll try to get them done while they're here if possible," he said. 

Meanwhile, Quisses said he's concerned about the impact of the evacuation on the youngest members of his community and how it's disrupted their education.

"Our boil water advisory is 30 years [old], that's been really impacting our membership. Now it's our health," Quisses said.

"There is a lot of trauma going around in our community."