Indigenous Services Canada plans to evacuate all nurses and paramedics still stationed in Kashechewan First Nation by Monday. The federal department disclosed that the evacuation of medical staff is subject to flight availability. Once the nurses depart, individuals requiring medical assistance will need to journey to the nearby Fort Albany First Nation.
Kashechewan Chief Hosea Wesley verified the current presence of four paramedics and four nurses in the community. Discussions are ongoing with the federal government regarding constructing a shortcut to the existing ice road, potentially reducing travel time to Fort Albany to about 20 minutes.
Majority of Kashechewan’s 2,300 residents have evacuated since Chief Wesley declared a state of emergency on Jan. 4. Evacuees are currently residing in various locations across Ontario, including hotel rooms in Kapuskasing, Cochrane, Timmins, Kingston, and Niagara Falls.
The community, still under a state of emergency, grapples with issues at the water treatment plant. Operational challenges at the plant, compounded by a malfunction in December, led to sewage system complications. Preliminary water sample tests revealed the presence of cryptosporidium, a parasitic pathogen, affecting over 63 individuals from Kashechewan.
Three fatalities have occurred within the community since evacuations began, including two elders and one youth. Funeral arrangements are pending for these individuals upon the community’s return. Kashechewan, prone to seasonal flooding, has long sought government support for relocation to a safer area.
Former Chief Leo Friday signed a framework agreement in 2019, outlining plans for the community’s relocation. Indigenous Services Canada allocated funds for detailed planning studies in December 2025. Chief Wesley expressed frustration with the prolonged studies and emphasized the urgent need for concrete commitments to address the community’s infrastructure challenges.