Kashechewan Evacuees Adjust to City Life Amid Water Crisis
Two weeks after arriving in Niagara Falls, Ontario, a mother and her teenage daughter from Kashechewan First Nation express gratitude for the support they receive while longing for the comfort of their homeland. They yearn for “being on the land” with a clear view of the forest. These two individuals represent nearly 1,000 residents displaced from their northern Ontario community due to an ongoing water crisis caused by a damaged treatment plant. Local authorities and Indigenous organizations in the Niagara Region are working tirelessly to accommodate up to 1,700 evacuees and help them feel settled in this unfamiliar urban setting.
State of Emergency Triggers Mass Evacuation
On January 4, Kashechewan Chief Hosea Wesley declared a state of emergency after pumps at the community’s water treatment plant became clogged, preventing the proper mixing of chemicals for safe drinking water. The sudden crisis caught many residents off guard. “It was sudden,” said Kerri-Ann Koosees, who has coordinated with Niagara Falls hotels to address the community’s needs. “I did not prepare for this evacuation.”
As of Friday, 921 evacuees from the First Nation along the west coast of James Bay are housed in Niagara Falls hotels. Some traveled by air to Hamilton and then by bus, while others arrived directly by bus from Kapuskasing, Ontario. Additional evacuees are settling in nearby areas like Timmins and Kingston. Niagara Falls Fire Chief Jo Zambito confirms no further arrivals are scheduled for the weekend, though the city maintains capacity for up to 1,700 people. “We still have significant space,” Zambito stated.
Health Concerns and Family Worries Persist
Keisha Paulmartin, Koosees’s daughter, shares her anxiety over family, friends, and pets left behind. “Before we evacuated, it was very hard on me not being able to take a shower regularly,” Paulmartin explained. “It made me feel very dirty and that just affected my mental health.” Essential workers in Kashechewan are caring for pets and securing homes, but Koosees fears potential pipe freezing and bursts.
The situation worsened with reports of 63 positive tests for cryptosporidium, a parasite causing gastrointestinal illness. “With all the toddlers, the children, the elders, people who need the water, they’re more prone to getting sick,” Paulmartin said. Koosees observed that those affected endured prolonged illnesses, only to relapse with severe symptoms like intense bowel movements, body aches, and shivers. Niagara Regional Public Health continues to assess and treat evacuees showing symptoms upon arrival.
Education and Community Support in Niagara Falls
The evacuation disrupted Paulmartin’s grade 11 studies and canceled events, including the community’s second hockey tournament. She worries about falling behind in school and the impact on peers applying to university. Teachers from Kashechewan have arrived in Niagara Falls to distribute homework packages and set up study rooms in a hotel basement, tailored to different grade levels. Designated spaces allow children and elders to socialize.
To ease the transition, the city organizes activities such as power station tours with Niagara Parks, attendance at Niagara IceDogs hockey games, and public skating at the Gale Centre Arena. “They’re amongst high rises, or they’re in hotel rooms, traffic on the roads,” Zambito noted. “That’s bringing a certain level of anxiety to them, not to mention just the overall ordeal of what’s happening back home.” Local Indigenous centers provide immediate support for those experiencing homesickness.
“City life is very different from the res.,” Paulmartin reflected, missing the natural surroundings. Koosees initially enjoyed seeing green grass upon arrival, but a subsequent snowstorm tempered that excitement. “The winter seemed to have followed us here,” she said. “The city makes it so that we can’t exactly just go out into the woods.” Despite the challenges, Koosees highlights the community’s resilience. “We go through a lot as a community,” she affirmed, appreciating aid from distant cities during this hardship.
