Grassy Narrows residents stack sandbags along a road in the community. Grassy Narrows has been partially evacuated due to flooding, with about 100 vulnerable residents staying in Thunder Bay. (Submitted by Terry Fobister)

By CBC News Staff - CBC News - May 25, 2022

About 100 Grassy Narrows First Nation residents have arrived in Thunder Bay, Ont., after the community was partially evacuated due to flooding.

They arrived in Thunder Bay, which is about 400 kilometres southeast from Grassy Narrows, on Monday. 

Grassy Narrows Chief Randy Fobister said the evacuees from his community are all vulnerable people, including those with health issues and elders.

"We do understand the water has to be released to two dams upriver from us," Randy Fobister said. "There's the Lac Seul dam, and the one that's closer to us is the Ear Falls dam."

This spring flooding season has been notable across Canada, with community evacuations or states of emergency declared in the Northwest Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northern Ontario. About 400 evacuees from Kashechewan First Nation spent time in Thunder Bay earlier this month, after their community's annual flood. 

"The water is getting pretty high up there in Lac Seul, and they have to release the water for the safety of the dams," he said. "And the water will just keep going up in Grassy."

Randy Fobister said a majority of the houses in Grassy Narrows are on higher ground, and there's been no damage to homes, or any injuries, reported.

He said work is underway to protect the community's lifting station, essentially a pump that moves water from lower to higher elevations, which was built about 20 years ago in a low-lying area and is vital for sewer and water services in Grassy Narrows.

Terry Fobister, the community's emergency response coordinator, said there's still a lot of uncertainty over how long the evacuees will need to remain in Thunder Bay.

"If the roads hold ... then maybe we'll bring the people back home sooner," he said. "Right now, we're forecasting two weeks for them to stay, stay in Thunder Bay."

"But [if] things go south and water gets higher, everything might change."

An update is expected on Wednesday.

"We keep asking 'how high is the water going to get?'" Terry Fobister said. "Nobody knows."

Flood warning issued

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry has issued a flood warning for the Thunder Bay district.

In a media release, the ministry said the warning includes the Kaministiquia River, Dog Lake, Shebandowan Lake, Kashabowie Lake and Lac des Mille Lacs watersheds.

Up to 25 mm of rain is forecasted for those areas in the next five days, and people should use "extreme caution" on less-travelled roads, and around bridges, water-crossings, lakes, and rivers.

The flood warning is expected to remain in effect until May 30.