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Evacuations begin in Kashechewan

Around 2000 people are being evacuated from the Kashechewan First Nations today. Flooding concerns from the Albany River is forcing the fly in reserve to relocate.

Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus has been raising awareness on the dyke wall, saying that if the water comes up as high as some fear it might, people could be injured, or worse.

“If that water comes up as high as some fear it might, there could be serious injuries, or even worse, in that community,” says Angus. “This is not a sustainable place. We spent millions and millions and millions of dollars on evacuations, on repairs, on putting bandaids on that crumbling dyke wall.”

Angus says if the province had gone through with an earlier plan, the cost and risk of injury could be avoided.

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“We had an agreement ten years ago to move the community to higher ground. It was going to be a plan to build 50 houses a year to slowly move the community, and have people hired; working, building a sustainable community.”

Although the evacuation is just a precaution right now, this is the fourth straight year its happened. Last year alone it cost over $20 million. Residents will be displaced to Hearst, Smooth Rock, and Kapuskasing.

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