First Nation leaders in northern Ontario are urging the federal and provincial governments to expedite evacuations and commit to long-term solutions as one community continues to deal with failures in its water supply and sewage systems.
The fly-in community of Kashechewan First Nation declared a state of emergency on Jan. 4 after local officials said infrastructure damage had created an urgent public health and safety issue, with sewage creeping into people’s homes and contaminating fresh water systems.
Indigenous Services Canada said last week it was prioritizing the evacuation of 500 vulnerable people and repairs were underway.
Leaders from the Mushkegowuk Council, which represents First Nations including Kashechewan, say that out of 2,200 people in the community, only 668 have been evacuated in the past 10 days.
Mushkegowuk Council Grand Chief Leo Friday says they’ve asked for expedited evacuation efforts and bigger airplanes, but governments aren’t acting fast enough.
Friday says the crisis shows an urgent need for long-term solutions from Ottawa and the Ontario government, including a functional clinic and water treatment plant in the community.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 14, 2026.
— With files from Alessia Passafiume in Ottawa.
