Military team assesses Pimicikamak water plant after outage

Canadian Armed Forces Arrive in Pimicikamak Cree Nation

The first team of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members arrived in Pimicikamak Cree Nation on Monday. They are there to help the northern Manitoba community recover from a prolonged power outage.

Seven members from the Kingston, Ont.-based Canadian Forces Joint Operational Support Group include experts in construction engineering, plumbing and heating, and electrical generation systems.

CAF spokesman Lieut. Cammeron Radford stated, “This advance team will support the Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Manitoba by assessing repair and sustainment requirements for the water treatment plant, sewage plant, and power generation systems. They will also provide guidance on project management and logistics.”

Assessment of Water Treatment Plant

Pimicikamak Cree Nation Chief David Monias said the crew will first assess one of the community’s water treatment plants, which has been out of commission for two weeks. He explained, “They’re doing a site tour of the water plant right now, take notes, identify what needs to be fixed, and assess how it needs to be fixed, and what resources are required to fix it.”

The total number of CAF members deployed will depend on the results of the initial assessment. Radford added, “The size, structure, and capability of Canadian Armed Forces support is tailored to the specific needs of the province-led emergency response.”

Impact of Power Outage

Pipes, tanks, and pumps froze during an outage that lasted about four days due to a broken transmission line in a remote area. The water and sewage treatment systems in Pimicikamak sustained damage. Monias noted that every one of the more than 1,300 homes in the community will require some sort of repair.

“They may be from minor repairs to major repairs. We have some houses that have damaged floors. We have a house that’s cracked right down the middle… it’s like there was an earthquake,” he said.

Water leaked into basements and crawlspaces after pipes burst and thawed. Sewage backed up into several bathrooms, and some residences require electrical repairs.

Community Displacement

About 4,000 of Pimicikamak’s roughly 7,000 residents left for Winnipeg, Thompson, and other places during and after the outage. Many remain in hotels. Pimicikamak band councillor Shirley Robinson stated, “They’re experiencing emotional and mental distress because it’s not healthy to be secluded in four walls in a hotel room.”

Plumbers and other workers from out of province are also on their way to the First Nation to help with the water and electrical issues. A 100-person camp has been established in the community, and there are talks to set up another 30-person camp as crews arrive.

Federal and Provincial Response

Monias mentioned that a company from the United States reached out about sending a portable water plant. Eleanor Olszewski, the federal minister of emergency management, announced the military’s deployment last Friday. This came more than a week after Monias asked Prime Minister Mark Carney for CAF aid. The Manitoba government sent a formal request for military aid on January 5.

Some tradespeople heading to Pimicikamak are from Winnipeg and other cities in Western Canada, according to Premier Wab Kinew. He said, “What we’re looking at is more about turning to the private sector. It’s about getting the Red Seals and the apprentices, it’s about getting the contractors and the businesses up there to help with the rebuilding and repair.”

Long-term Solutions

Kinew noted that there will eventually be a conversation about long-term fixes. He stated, “For right now, when you’re in an immediate recovery stage, it’s important that we all work together.” The premier welcomed the military’s arrival, saying, “CAF has that logistical ability to just triage, assess, co-ordinate and then deploy.”

The incorporated community of Cross Lake, located next to Pimicikamak, also lost power for days. Backup generators powered water and sewage treatment systems in Cross Lake. Kinew mentioned that Cross Lake’s water treatment plant has served both communities since the outage.

More than two dozen buildings, mostly homes, in Cross Lake sustained water damage after pipes froze and burst. Leadership faces another hurdle as the roughly 1,200 staying in Thompson are expected to be out of accommodations later this week due to local hotel rooms being used for a hockey tournament, said Monias.