Ottawa sending military after thousands evacuate Pimicikamak Cree Nation

The federal government is sending the military to help Pimicikamak Cree Nation after a days-long power outage led to damage to hundreds of homes and the evacuation of thousands of people.

In a letter posted to the social media site X on Friday afternoon, Eleanor Olszewski, Canada’s emergency management minister, said a “specialized team” from the Canadian Armed Forces will be deployed to the northern Manitoba First Nation.

Military personnel will provide “targeted assessment and advisory support focused on water treatment and sewage systems, power generation, project management and logistics,” Olszewski said.

The decision to send military personnel follows a request from Pimicikamak Cree Nation nine days ago.

Leadership has asked for plumbers and other technicians to come to Pimicikamak’s aid, as estimates suggest repairs could take weeks or months.

Olszewski’s letter doesn’t specify how many military members will be sent to the First Nation, about 530 kilometres north of Winnipeg, or when.

National Defence spokesperson Nick Drescher Brown said in a statement that members of the military will deploy “as soon as feasible” to help provincial and local officials assess repairs and what’s needed to keep the water treatment plant, sewage plant and power generation systems running. 

Brown said they will also provide project management advice and logistical support in Pimicikamak. 

Chief David Monias said “it was good news” when he got a call last night confirming the army would be coming to help. 

“The main thing that we wanted was help with the water and sewer infrastructure,” he said, adding the damage to the sewer system had put the community’s water intake system at risk of being contaminated. 

Monias said about 10 to 15 members of the military, with engineering and logistics expertise, are expected to be deployed to the community over the weekend. 

As army personnel work on damaged community infrastructure, Monias said dozens of tradespeople — both local and those who offered to help — will work on assessing and fixing affected homes.

Officials are still determining the extent of damage to the more than 1,300 homes in Pimicikamak, nearly two weeks after a four-day power outage resulted in widespread plumbing issues. At least 200 homes are considered unlivable, Monias said last weekend.

On Dec. 28, a 300-metre-long power line running between two islands in the Nelson River broke. Manitoba Hydro restored power to the community days later, but once power was restored, pipes that had frozen during bitterly cold weather started to burst.

At least 4,000 people from the First Nation, which has an on-reserve population of 7,000 people, have been sent to other communities, including Winnipeg and Thompson.

In a statement, Premier Wab Kinew thanked the armed forces for stepping up and said getting boots on the ground as soon as possible will help deliver “much-needed supports” for Pimicikamak.

Pimicikamak Coun. Shirley Robinson said “spirits were lifted” when community leaders found out that the military would be deployed. 

“We need all the help we can get,” Robinson said.  

“We want to get our people home. Our people are crying out there. They want to come home. They miss home,” she said. 

Monias said leadership is working to bring evacuees back home soon. 

“We’re trying our best to try and make sure that you guys have safe places to go home to. And we’re going to try and bring you home as soon as we can,” he said.