Chief says more funding needed to repair homes after power outage, flooding

A northern First Nation hit by a days-long power outage and subsequent water crisis is seeking additional government funds to cover the cost of mould and asbestos removal in homes.

Pimicikamak Cree Nation Chief David Monias said Friday there is a shortage of funding to remediate the hazards and bring homes with damage up to code so they are habitable.

“We can’t have (residents) return to a situation where there might be some bacteria or moulding issues that will affect their safety, that affect their health, and possibly cause medical issues that will be made worse because they already have existing health issues,” he said during a virtual call.

Pimicikamak’s leaders said an estimated 1,300 homes were damaged after pipes froze and burst two months ago. Water leaked into basements and crawl spaces. The community’s water and sewage plants were also affected.

The situation has become a public health crisis, Monias said, because mould was discovered during inspections of some homes that were damaged.

Pre-existing mould in some homes has become worse because they were unoccupied for two months, he said.

Monias said Pimicikamak is calculating the number of homes that require mould and asbestos insulation removal, and the estimated cost of that work.

The community is working with an insurance provider. Monias said Pimicikamak sought more assistance from Indigenous Services Canada, which is providing money through its emergency management assistance program, to cover pre-existing problems.

“The department is actively working with the community and their support organizations to identify the required resources for this work,” spokesperson Eric Head said.

“Funding will be provided to address damages, identified through formal damage assessments, that are directly related to the emergency event.”

The damage assessment, including what damage was pre-existing, is being conducted by Pimicikamak’s contractor.

ISC is also providing $1.1 million to help cover pre-existing issues determined by the community.

“Should the cost of repairs for pre-existing issues exceed available funding, ISC will continue to work with the nation to identify options,” Head said.

Some of the $1.1 million will be used for mould remediation, Monias said.

ISC is paying for lodging and services for about 2,000 evacuees who remain in hotels or temporary housing, down from about 4,000 evacuees in January. Pimicikamak is home to about 7,000 people.

A lot of the evacuees have health issues, or are elders or families with young children, Monias said.

The Canadian Armed Forces sent about a dozen experts to Pimicikamak to assess and plot out repairs for the water and sewer plants.

Pimicikamak said the province and Manitoba Hydro told the community they cannot provide funding or be held liable for funding or reimbursement of damages.

Premier Wab Kinew defended Manitoba’s response to the emergency.

“We were there through the most challenging part of the emergency, but still want to see people get help to be able to go home,” he said.

Manitoba Hydro is assisting Pimicikamak in any way it can, spokesman Peter Chura said.

“Manitoba Hydro is not responsible for damages resulting from a power outage. This is true for all customers in all communities in the province,” he wrote in an email.

The power outage began Dec. 28 when a transmission line snapped in a remote area near the communities of Pimicikamak and Cross Lake, about 530 kilometres north of Winnipeg. Electricity was restored Jan. 2 after the line was fixed.

Chura said the investigation into the cause is ongoing.

Pimicikamak resident Lori Osborne and her four children moved into a Winnipeg hotel room a month ago as of Saturday. Her three oldest children have since returned to Pimicikamak to stay with relatives.

“It’s been so hard to keep the kids entertained,” Osborne said. “I want to go home.”

Osborne doesn’t know when she and her one-year-old daughter will return to their home, which requires repairs. She said mould was discovered during an inspection.

“First they said it would take until March. Now, I’m hearing April,” Osborne said.

— With files from Gabrielle Piche

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca