After enduring five days of extremely cold weather, Nibinamik First Nation in northwestern Ontario has finally had its power restored. Situated approximately 500 kilometers north of Thunder Bay, Nibinamik, also known as Summer Beaver, is a secluded Oji-Cree community. Despite Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada stating a population of just over 100 people, the community’s chief claims that nearly 400 individuals reside there.
The power outage began on Friday and was only resolved by Tuesday evening. Walter Oskineegish, a band councillor for Nibinamik, mentioned to CBC News that out of the community’s four main generators, only one was operational, but insufficient to sustain the entire community. Around 30 percent of the First Nation’s homes experienced frozen water pipes.
Replacement parts had to be sourced from St. Paul, Minnesota, and were flown to Winnipeg before reaching Nibinamik on Tuesday. A statement from Indigenous Services Canada spokesperson Eric Head indicated that they were aware of the challenges faced by Nibinamik and were working closely with the community to provide support such as generators, food, water, and other necessities.
Notably, Nibinamik has been under a state of emergency since May 2020 due to persistent issues with its diesel generating system. A recent state of emergency was declared in response to the latest power outage, aggravated by temperatures dropping to -30°C, nearly reaching -40°C with wind chill.
The Matawa First Nations Management tribal council issued a statement urging immediate action from the provincial and federal governments to address the ongoing situation in Nibinamik. The council emphasized the risks posed by the reliance on diesel generating stations and the need for a comprehensive recovery and prevention plan.
Efforts are underway to potentially connect Nibinamik to the provincial power grid through the Wataynikaneyap Transmission Project. While this initiative aims to reduce dependency on diesel fuel, completion could take several years. In the interim, Oskineegish called for additional generators to prevent future blackouts in the growing community.
Despite the challenges, Oskineegish remains hopeful, coordinating the delivery of portable generators and essential supplies to Nibinamik. He acknowledged the support from neighboring communities and expressed understanding of the time required for the frozen homes to thaw and the community to fully recover from the impact of the prolonged power outage.