Missanabie Cree First Nation says it’s on track to open a purpose-built Indigenous evacuation centre on its traditional territory in northern Ontario this spring.
Chief Jason Gauthier said the centre, located around 340 kilometres north of Sault Ste. Marie, will have 360 rooms and capacity to host up to 600 people who are forced to leave their homes due to emergencies such as wildfires and floods.
Commonly, people who are displaced stay at hotels far from their home communities, going to urban centres such as Niagara Falls and Barrie in southern Ontario.
People from Kashechewan First Nation, for instance, had to leave the community due to a drinking water crisis in January, with more than 1,000 ending up in Niagara Falls.