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.
Get breaking National news
They’re staying in Thunder Bay, Ont., roughly 430 kilometres from home.
- Alberta lawyer says referendum questions about immigration ‘harmful,’ ‘unnecessary’
- Carney says possibility of jets at Billy Bishop airport not nixed ‘forever’
- Carney joins criticism of Infantino as FIFA leader after sell-off plan
- Carney says Canada involved ‘from the start’ in NATO intern spying case
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.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.