Imagine living in a place where clean water, a basic necessity most of us take for granted, is a luxury. This is the harsh reality for the Kashechewan First Nation in northern Ontario, where a devastating water crisis has forced families to survive on just one case of water bottles per day. But here's where it gets even more heartbreaking: some households, packed with multiple families and children, are struggling to make this meager supply last.
On January 4th, Chief Hosea Wesley declared a state of emergency as the community’s water treatment and wastewater plants fell into disrepair. The crisis began in early December when pumps at the water treatment plant failed, preventing the proper treatment of drinking water. Soon after, the wastewater plant’s raw sewage intake began to malfunction, compounding the problem. Keisha Paulmartin, a 15-year-old resident, sums it up bluntly: ‘It just sucks.’
This isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a violation of basic human dignity. Sinclair Williams, another resident, puts it powerfully: ‘These are things that nobody should go through. Water, the most fundamental resource, is something every Canadian should have access to without question.’* And this is the part most people miss: the crisis has led to the evacuation of the most vulnerable residents, with 35 people flown to Timmins, Ontario, and over 200 more to Kapuskasing. Leaders are now working with federal and provincial governments to evacuate all 2,300 residents, a daunting task given that Kashechewan is only accessible by air, as there are no permanent roads leading to the community.
Evacuations, unfortunately, are nothing new for Kashechewan. Located in a floodplain along the Albany River, the community faces annual spring flooding, forcing residents to relocate to cities like Thunder Bay and Kapuskasing. For Paulmartin, these evacuations have become a grim norm: ‘It’s just another Christmas, another Halloween… it’s become pretty normal to us all.’ But even this familiarity doesn’t ease the disruption. Petersen Spence, who moved to Timmins at 14, recalls the isolation of hotel stays during evacuations: ‘Eating the same food, not going anywhere, no entertainment… I had to teach myself how to learn without any support.’*
What’s different this time is the uncertainty. Paulmartin notes, ‘We have no idea how long this could last… it’s such a different problem.’ Feather Metatawabin, now living in Timmins but with family still in Kashechewan, shares the anxiety. She describes a friend with five children, one with special needs, who endured a two-week hotel stay with only two beds during the last evacuation. ‘She’s scared to go through that again,’ Metatawabin says.
Efforts are underway to repair the water treatment plant, with workers from Northern Waterworks deployed to replace pumps and bring in additional equipment. However, Indigenous Services Canada has yet to provide a timeline for completion. This raises a critical question: How can a community in one of the world’s wealthiest nations be left without access to clean water for so long?
As we reflect on this crisis, let’s not just ask how we can help Kashechewan today, but also how we can prevent such injustices from happening again. What do you think? Is enough being done to address the systemic issues facing Indigenous communities in Canada? Share your thoughts in the comments—this conversation needs your voice.
