The City of Cornwall says it is providing support to members of the Sandy Lake First Nation in northwestern Ontario, who have been evacuated due to wildfires.
The first 155 residents of the first nation more than 1,600 kilometres northwest of Cornwall arrived early Monday morning, with more expected to arrive through the day, the city said in a news release. Cornwall expects to harbour up to 450 people who have been forced out of their homes because of the fires.
“The safety and well-being of evacuees is our top priority, and we are committed to providing them with the care and compassion they deserve,” said Leighton Woods, Deputy Fire Chief and emergency management coordinator in a news release. “Cornwall has a long history of rallying in moments of need and today is no exception.”
The city says the Dev Centre will be the key site for accommodations and services. The Canadian Red Cross will be on site leading logistics and the Eastern Ontario Health Unit is providing medical support.
“The Mohawk Council of Akwesasne is also playing a vital role in the response, with staff on-site acting as key liaisons to ensure culturally informed support and effective communication with evacuees,” the city said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday that the federal government would be sending military aid to assist in the evacuation of the remote community. A major wildfire near the Sandy Lake First Nation is still not under control, according to the Ontario government.
The Dev Centre in Cornwall has a history of housing people in need of shelter. For several years, it was used to house asylum seekers through a program with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. In 2021, evacuees from Deer Lake First Nation — about 75 km southwest of Sandy Lake First Nation — were housed in Cornwall when wildfires threatened their community.