EABAMETOONG FIRST NATION — With an emergency fund in place and four young people arrested, many of the questions surrounding the fire at Eabametoong First Nation’s John C. Yesno Education Centre have begun to be answered.
However, the road to a new education facility – and what the process looks like to get it built – will definitely take some time, said Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services Canada.
Hajdu said her “heart goes out to the entire community.”
She mentioned while Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) has “immediate urgent supports” in place to address mental health needs for the community, she spoke with Chief Solomon Atlookan about other ways they can help.
“I told the chief the department will work very closely with him – both on the immediate concerns around how to make sure children are getting education in the interim and on the eventual rebuilding of the school,” Hajdu said.
Eabametoong First Nation have had plans for a new community school in development since 2019 – and while the devastating loss of the JCY Education Centre means that there is a new sense of urgency surrounding those plans, Hajdu made it clear it will take some time to make it happen.
“The community had been planning the replacement of that school, so they are somewhat along the path of understanding what they might like to see - but there’s a long road ahead,” Hajdu said.
In terms of what that process might look like, she said it will depend on a number of factors.
“First of all, the community’s final decision on what should replace the school and how that might look. Obviously, the department will work very quickly to fast-track things like feasibility studies, the kinds of engineering studies that need to take place. There may be some remediation if the school’s going to be replaced on that exact site – these are all considerations that will happen and I’ve given the chief my word that the department will work as quickly as the community is able to work as well,” she said.
With site location, design, and feasibility all under active consideration, Chief Atlookan, the band council, and residents of Eabametoong have many decisions ahead of them.
Not to mention the need for time to mourn what has been lost.
Hajdu said the contractors’ ability to prioritize the project as the construction season begins will also determine the speed at which they can get a new school well on its way to completion.
The distance that materials will need to travel and the remoteness of Eabametoong First Nation may also pose some serious challenges.
“Those things will be determined as we get closer down the line. I know everyone wants to do this as quickly as possible. The chief has my word that the department will be there to make sure it isn’t the government of Canada that is in any way delaying the replacement of that school. We’re all united in that this is an utmost emergency and an urgent priority for both the government of Canada and the community,” Hajdu said.
In terms of immediate needs and the continued education of youth in Eabametoong First Nation, Hadju stressed that ISC is working closely with chief and council to support them with whatever costs arise while the community develops a strategy moving forward.
“This is an all hands on deck moment where every partner has to work together to make sure that the kids and families most deeply affected have the supports they need,” she said.