Nisichawayasihk seniors still displaced 6 months after wildfire evacuation

Evacuees from Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation Await Return Home

Six months after being moved to a long-term care facility hundreds of kilometers away from his family, Jimmy Spence remains hopeful about returning home. “In some way or another, you get used to it,” he told CBC. “But you still miss your place up north.”

The 85-year-old is one of 21 residents who have been at a long-term care facility in Winnipeg since wildfires forced them from their personal care home in Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation in July 2025.

“We just have to be patient — when the time comes for us to go home, we will go home. I am just looking forward to that,” Spence said. He added, “My kids, they are all grown up, but you know, they are still my kids, and I miss them.”

Background of the Evacuation

The care home residents, some with dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other cognitive impairments, were among hundreds evacuated from their community, about 660 kilometers northwest of Winnipeg, in early July due to heavy smoke from wildfires. More residents were evacuated in August, but most returned later that month.

Residents from the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation personal care home have been in Winnipeg for six months. The First Nation’s leadership initially hoped the residents would stay for only a few weeks until air quality improved.

However, the building now requires significant repairs before they can return. Jessie Horodecki, the executive director of the Nisichawayasihk care home, stated that repairs are expected to be completed within the next six weeks, allowing residents to return before the end of February.

Facility Repairs and Safety Concerns

Horodecki expressed surprise at the length of the evacuation, saying, “I didn’t think it would be more than a month that we would be away. It’s kind of crazy.” She noted that they evacuated in summer clothing and will return in winter.

The care home building had been deteriorating after 24 years, according to Nisichawayasihk Chief Angela Levasseur. Rolling power outages during the wildfires caused further issues, including malfunctions in door-locking, patient call bell, and security camera systems.

Most repairs have focused on the facility’s floor, which was damaged after a walk-in cooler shut down during power outages. Items in the cooler thawed and leaked. Levasseur stated that a provincial assessment deemed the floor unsafe, making it risky to handle food without a cooler.

Community and Family Impact

“These are not optional repairs,” Levasseur said. “We really badly want our residents to come home, but we were not going to bring them home to a facility that is not safe and would jeopardize their health.”

Horodecki mentioned that it is fortunate the seniors have been together during their evacuation. “If you can’t be at home, at least you’re together with your family,” she said. The transition from a small community to a city has been overwhelming for some seniors.

The Winnipeg facility has tried to make the seniors feel at home by learning common phrases in Cree and maintaining their routines from Nisichawayasihk. Ann Hall, 78, an evacuee, said, “People at the care home in Winnipeg treat you good. But it’s not like home, and I’d like to go home.”

Funding and Support Issues

The evacuation has also brought some advantages, such as easier access to health services and different food options. Horodecki noted, “As great as it is to have all these services right at our fingertips, it is still not the same. Everybody just wants to be home.”

Family visits have become shorter and less frequent. Winnipeg is about a nine-hour drive from Nisichawayasihk, making it difficult for some relatives to visit. Hall expressed her desire to see her daughter again, as they last met in the fall.

The personal care home receives funding from the province and Indigenous Services Canada for a fixed number of beds. However, capital funding for repairs is primarily coming from the First Nation. Chief Levasseur mentioned that they have requested funding from both provincial and federal governments, but each level has shifted responsibility to the other.

Future Plans for Residents

Indigenous Services Canada stated it is providing financial support for the evacuees in Winnipeg. Levasseur described the situation as contentious, saying, “Meanwhile, our residents are waiting — they’re wanting to come home.”

A spokesperson for Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara informed CBC that capital funding for repairs does not fall under the province’s agreement with the personal care home. Indigenous Services Canada confirmed it is supporting repairs and the evacuees’ stay in Winnipeg.

Planning is underway to ensure everything is ready for the residents’ return, including arranging flights home, which will require medevacs for the most vulnerable residents. “We’re just in a hurry-up-and-wait situation right now,” Horodecki said. “Once the home is safe and enough work has been completed, we’re going to be on the first flight back north.”

Summary of Evacuation Situation