Kashechewan First Nation spring flooding spurs talk of moving — for good
A scattered few of the 2,000 residents will wait out the flood risk in the James Bay community.
Another 250 people were flown out of the flood-prone northern Ontario community of Kashechewan yesterday to hotel rooms in Wawa and Smooth Rock Falls.
In total, 1,000 people — most of them elderly and young — have been flown out as a precaution ahead of rising flood waters on the Albany River. Their temporary homes are hotel rooms in Kapuskasing, Thunder Bay, Wawa and Smooth Rock Falls.
As people pack for evacuation, all the talk has been about permanently moving the community, said the Deputy Chief, Hosea Wesley. After the last major flood a decade ago, there was a plan to move Kashechewan to higher ground up river, but the federal government said it was too expensive.
Study in the works
Flood waters have yet to reach Kashechewan, but there are concerns about water backing up behind ice jams on the Albany River, currently 80 kilometres from Kashechewan. The community's dike is not engineered to keep the waters out.
"Our people have been telling us 'It's time to do something. It's time to step up. It's time to relocate,' said Wesley. "That's what they're saying right now."
A comprehensive study on flooding in the James Bay community is expected to be released later this year.
While he and other adults have gotten used to the evacuations, their children have not, said Wesley.
"Six months ago some people that came in to do the study regarding about the suicide attempts in my community, the main topic was flooding, break-up season," said the Deputy Chief.
