First Nations in Ontario get $1.4M to improve emergency management

Ahead of the spring flooding season on the James Bay Coast, the federal government announced it had provided $1.4 million to help First Nations communities in Ontario with emergency management.

The funds, which went to the Ontario First Nations Technical Services Corporation (OFNTSC), were intended to helpFirst Nations members develop, update and test community emergency management plans, as well as hire and train First Nation members to work with their communities on emergency preparedness. The government made the announcement in a press release on Wednesday.

TheOFNTSCprovides expert technical advisory services to many First Nations in the province.

The announcement comes as communities on the James Bay Coast prepare for the spring break up an event that often leads to the evacuation of entire First Nations communities.

Kashechewan is one of those communities. It's beenraising concerns about thestructuralintegrity of a dike meant to protect the remote community during spring flooding. Itcites an engineering report published in February thatsaid the deteriorating condition of the dike is an"intolerable risk."

The chief of the Kashechewan First Nation recently called on Ottawa to find a solution to end the annual spring flooding that threatens the community.

Providing comparable emergency aid

A request for information about what is being done to address the community'sconcerns was not immediately returned by the office of Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt.

• Kashechewanspring flood risk 'intolerable,' report says

The $1.4 million in fundingcame from the $19.1 million announced by Valcourt in November 2013 as part of the government's approach to emergency management on reserves.

According to the release, discussions are currently underway betweenAboriginal Affairsand provincial and territorial governments across Canada to provide First Nation communities with access to comparable emergency assistance available elsewhere in their province or territory.