Officials in Eabametoong First Nation are declaring a state of emergency because of high levels of water contamination.
The community, also called Fort Hope, has been on a boil-water advisory for 18 years, but they say tests recently found certain chemicals called trihalomethanes were over twice the limit allowed in Ontario drinking water.
Health Canada says high amounts of trihalomethanes, which include chloroform, may increase risk of certain kinds of cancer.
In a statement, Chief Harvey Yesno says they’re concerned about the effects of the chemicals on their most vulnerable community members, including newborn babies.
He says the chemicals, combined with ongoing water and wastewater issues, prompted officials to formally declare an emergency.
Chief Yesno says they’ve contacted the federal Minister of Indigenous Services, but received no response, and previous requests for funding to upgrade their waste-water system haven’t been approved.
The community of nearly 1,600 people is 360 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay.
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