Pimicikamak chief expects most homes to need repairs as military aid arrives

Military and Tradespeople Arrive to Assist Pimicikamak Cree Nation

The chief of Pimicikamak Cree Nation, David Monias, reported that residents are still in hotels due to a power outage and frozen pipes. He stated that more military members and tradespeople are on their way to help.

Monias expects about 130 people to arrive in the coming days. This announcement was made on Monday, following the arrival of seven members of the Canadian Armed Forces that morning.

“Just about every house will probably need a repair in one form or another; it may be from minor repairs to major repairs,” Monias said. He noted that damage varies, with one house having a full “crack” through it.

As part of the military’s arrival, the members met with the local team to tour and assess the water plant. Officials are still trying to determine the damage to over 1,300 homes in Pimicikamak, nearly two weeks after the power outage caused critical infrastructure failure.

Monias stated that at least 4,400 people have been evacuated. More than 1,200 are currently housed in hotels in Thompson, Manitoba, while many have sought housing in other communities.

Determining the damage has been challenging due to limited resources. Eight plumbers are trying to move across the community. “They’re literally sleeping two hours a day,” Monias said.

More military members are expected to arrive on Wednesday, including engineering specialists. However, some workers already in the community are sick from losing access to clean water. Monias mentioned that it has been difficult to find adequate washroom and shower facilities for the additional workers.

A mobile camp for 30 people is being set up, and the community has requested a company to build a temporary water treatment plant. This aims to improve living conditions for workers and prevent delays in repairs.

While work continues to assess infrastructure needs, Pimicikamak Coun. Shirley Robinson expressed concern about when residents will return home. “Citizens are sharing with us their loneliness for home because they haven’t really settled into our nation for the past six months now,” Robinson said. She added that families are experiencing emotional and mental distress from being confined to hotel rooms.

The December outage marks the second evacuation in less than a year, following last spring’s wildfires. “Our people, like right now, they’re traumatized from all of this,” Robinson added.

Monias also expressed concern about how long residents can stay in hotels. There is no timeline for their return, but he hopes repairs will be completed “in a matter of weeks, not months,” allowing people to return before spring.