CORNWALL – The City of Cornwall is among the Ontario communities preparing for evacuees from the Kashechewan First Nation in Northern Ontario.
Cornwall is one of a number of cities asked by the province to host residents from the James Bay community of 2,500 people, which usually sees devastating spring flooding when the ice breaks up on the Albany River.
Flights are scheduled to go to Kapuskasing and then Cornwall is next on the list. The evacuations could start as early as Monday (April 15).
Briefing reporters this week in Thunder Bay – which has also be asked to be a host – fire officials there said ice conditions and water conditions were stable but a significant flood season is anticipated this year.
Being on the receiving list for evacuees from Kashechewan is nothing new for Cornwall, which has made a home for them a couple of times in the past at Nav Center.
The spring evacuation costs between $15 and $20 million, according to CBC News.