The northwestern Ontario community is abuzz with news that Neskantaga First Nation’s chief and council are calling for better communications from the Provincial Crisis Operations Centre (PEOC) amid itsongoing state of urgent situation over the region’s wildfires.
The remote Ojibway the region, located about 440 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, declared a state of urgent situation on July 16. The First Nation’s apprehension were two-fold: wildfire smoke was affecting the health of its members, and road closures caused by wildfire activity delayed the delivery of essential supplies. Neskantaga’s Chief Gary Quisses says he felt disrespected during his most recent call with PEOC representatives on Thursday.
“It was very disappointing when they cut us off during our call,” Quisses told CBC News on Sunday. “It was very limited updates.” Neskantaga’s food is transported from Winnipeg to Pickle Lake before being flown up to the First Nation.However, a road closure on Highway 599 earlier this month meant the delivery trucks were rerouted to Red Lake. For a while, the smoke became too heavy for planes to travel north with supplies. These challenges are compounded by the fact that Neskantaga has beenunder a boil water advisory for more than 31 years, the longest in effect across the country.
“We have engaged our vendors and partner networks to secure the requested supplies and equipment.
More than 140 of the community’s most vulnerable — consisting of children, pregnant people, older adults and those with underlying health conditions — are staying in Mississauga. Quisses says they hope to return to Neskantaga early next week. While the transportation issue has since been resolved, Neskantaga is still playing catch-up in making sure those remaining in the First Nation have everything they need. While forest fire hazards have decreased due to recent rain and cooler temperatures, more than 2,800 people from over a dozen communities in northwestern Ontario remain displaced. “The challenge is the safety of the people,” Quisses stated. “Everybody has to be safe and go home in one piece.” When asked about Neskantaga’s unease, a spokesperson for Ontario’s Minister of Critical incident Preparedness and Response provided an emailed statement to CBC News on Friday. “We have engaged our vendors and partner networks to secure the requested supplies and equipment. We anticipate receiving confirmation regarding availability and delivery timelines of the requested items, from our vendors and partners, over the next two days,” wrote spokesperson Julia Facca. Powwows, dancing help wildfire evacuees ‘come together,’ easing pain of seeing First Nations burn Wildfire evacuees from First Nations in northern Ontario face stressors beyond being far from home “We will update the chief directly, as is our standard practice, and will launch those items to the citizens without delay.” Quisses stated he hopes to see improved communications with provincial authorities;“that way we don't have challenges like this.” “They have to do better — like they have to understand the citizens. They have to understand why there is an evacuation,” Quisses indicated. First Nation chiefs call for public inquiry into Ontario government's wildfire response Ontario critical incident minister's interview cut short after wildfire response questions As for those staying in Mississauga, Quisses declared First Nations from the Greater Toronto Area have stepped up to support his people with day trips and other activities. “When we say we're connected, that's the connection we're talking about. That understanding for every Indigenous person right across the country; we understand each other,” Quisses advised. “Even though the dialect and the language is different … we feel for each other.” TheHope for Wellness Helplineprovides immediate, toll-free telephone and online chat-based emotional support and crisis intervention to all Indigenous people in Canada. This service is available 24/7 in English and French, and upon request in Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut. Sarah Law is a CBC News reporter based in Thunder Bay, Ont., and has also worked for newspapers and online publications elsewhere in the province. Have a story tip? You can reach her at sarah.law@cbc.ca. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered onCBC Gem..
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📍 Source: CBC News Thunder Bay · By: CBC News Staff · 🗓️ July 27, 2026 · 🏠 ThunderBay.Online
