NESKANTAGA, Ont. - A state of emergency has been declared in Neskantaga First Nation due to a lack of drinking water in the community.
In a release issued on Saturday, the community approximately 430 kilometres north of Thunder Bay is calling on the Minister of Indigenous Services Canada to provide the First Nation with bottled water until the water treatment plant becomes operational and the boil water advisory can be lifted.
“Neskantaga First Nation leadership has also reached out directly to Minister Seamus O'Regan in a letter regarding the requirement for bottled water and to request an in-person meeting,” the release states.
The state of emergency follows Neskantaga terminating the water treatment plan construction contract with Kingdom Construction Limited last week.
"The community of Neskantaga believes this step was necessary in order to provide clean, safe, reliable drinking water to the community and to ultimately lift a boil water advisory that has been in effect for over 25 years,” the statement reads. “We cannot comment further with respect to KCL at this time.”
