The chief of a First Nation in a remote part of northwestern Ontario says he’s moving to a full evacuation after test results showed high levels of hydrocarbons in the water supply.
Chief Chris Moonias says in a social media post that he’s asking the provincial and federal governments to support the decision to clear out Neskantaga First Nation.
Roughly 230 people — most of whom were deemed vulnerable — were evacuated from the community earlier in the week after an “oily sheen” was discovered in the water reservoir, prompting officials to turn off the pipes.
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They’re staying in Thunder Bay, Ont., roughly 430 kilometres from home.
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Indigenous Services Canada has said it would foot the bill for the partial evacuation, but representatives for Minister Marc Miller did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday on the proposal to move more people out of the community.
Read more: Over 200 evacuated from Neskantaga First Nation as chief calls for permanent fix to end water crisis
Neskantaga has Canada’s longest-running boil water advisory, which has been in place for 25 years.
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