Neskantaga First Nation, Ont. – Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé says the living conditions in Neskantaga First Nation are “unacceptable and unsafe,” urging both the provincial and federal governments to take immediate action.
During a two-day visit to the remote Ojibway community last week, Dubé said the realities of daily life were striking from the moment he landed at the “dilapidated” local airport. Children greeted him with handmade signs pleading for clean drinking water, a medical centre, an ambulance, and a new school.
Neskantaga First Nation is home to the longest boil-water advisory in Canada, now in place for 30 years. Dubé said he toured mould-infested houses, a water treatment plant that is not fit for purpose, and a new police station unable to open because of inadequate telecommunications. He also visited a temporary nursing station that community members say is failing to meet their needs.
Education remains a major challenge. The community’s small, aging school only goes up to Grade 8, forcing students to leave for Sioux Lookout or Thunder Bay to complete their studies. “We were told that 50 per cent of the children in the school were on the autism spectrum but that they didn’t have the proper resources,” Dubé noted.
The ombudsman’s office, an independent arm of the Ontario Legislature, investigates complaints about public-sector services and makes recommendations for improvement. Following his visit, Dubé said he is committed to contributing his office’s resources to push for solutions.
Chief Gary Quisses, who invited Dubé to the community, has long called for systemic change. Residents continue to demand urgent improvements to housing, education, health care, and clean water access.
Dubé’s statement is a sharp reminder of the decades-long struggles faced by Neskantaga First Nation and a challenge to governments to address them without further delay.
