Plans for Eabametoong First Nation's temporary school progressing after fire razed its only learning centre - Action News
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Plans for Eabametoong First Nation's temporary school progressing after fire razed its only learning centre

Plans for a temporary school for Eabametoong First Nation are starting to come together, weeks after the Ojibway community in northwestern Ontario lost its only school to arson. Here's the latest on efforts to get students back in class as soon as possible.

Objiway First Nation's chief has 'a real positive feeling' temporary school be open in fall

Three people sit inside around a table.
Eabametoong First Nation Chief Solomon Atlookan, centre, and members of the band council have been working on plans for a temporary school since the community's only learning centre was razed Jan. 25 by a fire police believe was intentionally set. (Marc Doucette/CBC)

In just a few short weeks, it's been a long haul forEabametoong First Nation to get a temporary school in place after the remote Ojibway community's only school was destroyed by arson.

But cleanup efforts are underway to remove debris from the John C. Yesno Education Centreand make room for thetemporary school, with supplies to build it starting to get into the community in northwestern Ontario.

The Jan. 25 fire displaced about 300 students from kindergarten to Grade 9 and has alsoimpactedthe community, whichused John C. Yesno Education Centre as a central gathering place.

With government funding pledged for the temporary school, Eabametoong First NationChief Solomon Atlookanis hopeful it will be ready for September.

"There's a real positive feeling that we are going to open a school for our children to go this fall," he said.

Since the fireand police laid arson charges against four teenagers, the band council has been working on getting students back into classrooms to minimize disruptions to their education.

Two people stand together inside a building, smiling.
Indigenous Services Minister Patty Hajdu and Eabametoong Chief Solomon Atlookan, left to right, meet in Thunder Bay to discuss plans to build a temporary school in the Ojibway First Nation. Hajdu has committed to supporting the community as it looks to rebuild. (Submitted by Reem Sheet)

On Feb. 16, federal Minister of Indigenous Services Patty Hajdu met with Atlookan in Thunder Bay and committed to helping the community build thetemporary school by Sept. 1.

"We are urgently investing over $13 millionto help the community buy, bring in, build and fully furnish five modular buildings,"said Hajdu's press secretary, Reem Sheet, in an email to CBC News after the meeting.

"This is on top of the $3.7 millionwe invested up to date for educational resources, additional teachers, supplies and essential mental health services for the students.

"The federal government will be there for the people of Eabametoong as they recover from this tragic event and do everything they can so kids can continue to learn."

Colder weather comes in clutch

In early February, Nishnawbe Aski Nation declared a state of emergencyas an unseasonably warm winter was threatening the viability of the winter road network, an important transportation link for NAN's 49 member First Nations.

But the recent colder weather has helpedstabilizeEabametoong's winter road, so supplies for the temporary school are starting to arrive, Atlookan said.

An aerial shot, taken through a plane window, of a winter road stretching through a wooded area across two snow-covered bodies of water.
After unusually warm temperatures this winter in northwestern Ontario, Eabametoong First Nation is taking advantage of the cold snap to transport materials for its temporary school via winter road. (Marc Doucette/CBC)

"We've got some items now that came in through the winter road, some storage containers as well as some lumber, and we're going to continue to do so while it's cold."

The hope is to get the bulkiest items up as soon as possible due to the high cost of transporting materials by plane.

Although some portables remain unscathed after the main school building burned down, there's a shortage of space elsewhere in the community for students to continue classes as usual.

Meanwhile, more than a dozen Grade 9 students have been sent to complete their semester at the Matawa Education and Care Centre in Thunder Bay.

Youth from Eabametoong usually complete their high school education in the city starting in Grade 10.

A large, burnt structure covered in snow is seen beneath a bright blue sky.
The remains of the John C. Yesno Education Centre in Eabametoong First Nation after its only school burned down Jan. 25. Cleanup efforts have begun to remove the debris over the next four to five weeks. (Sarah Law/CBC)

OntarioMinister of Indigenous Affairs Greg Rickford, who says he has personal ties to Eabametoong, has made verbal commitments to the community, Atlookan said.

These include:

  • Fixing up an unfinished treatment centre in the community, which can be temporarily used for the school's land-based programs.
  • Extending the community hall to provide more space for school activities.
  • Adding artificial ice to the arena to promote youth recreation.

Hajdu and Rickfordhave said they'll travel to Eabametoong soon, Atlookan said,noting Rickford has tried three times, but had to turn around due to bad weather.

Michael Tibollo, Ontario's associate minister of mental health and addictions, has also expressed interest in visiting.

Planning for a new school inEabametoongwas underway before the fire. Atlookan said that process will continue once the temporary school is constructed.

"That will not affect the current funding that we received we're still going to get a new school."