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18h ago

Ottawa to Deploy Specialized Military Team to Pimicikamak After Power Outages Forced Mass Evacuation

The deployment focuses on advisory support for critical utilities during ongoing damage assessments across more than 1,300 homes.

Crews work to clean up the basement of a home on the Pimicikamak Cree Nation which was destroyed due to water damage during recent infrastructure failures during a tour with politicians and media at Pimicikamak Cree Nation, Man., on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
Crews work to fix a water main break in front of a home on the Pimicikamak Cree Nation, Man., on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
Murphy Trout shows the damage from a water main break in his crawl space at Pimicikamak Cree Nation. He now worries this flooding may lead to mould.

Overview

  • Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski said cabinet approved a Canadian Armed Forces team to provide targeted assessment and advisory support on water treatment, sewage systems, power generation, project management and logistics.
  • Roughly 4,000 residents were evacuated after extreme-cold outages froze and burst pipes and backed up sewage, with at least 200 homes deemed unlivable and about 1,100 still under assessment.
  • Ottawa has not disclosed the team’s size or arrival date, though Chief David Monias said he expects personnel this weekend and emphasized the continued need for plumbers.
  • The federal response also includes support for evacuations plus generators, heaters, food and drinking water, with more heaters due Monday and 30 additional tradespeople en route.
  • Leaders say evacuees cannot yet return as the community reserves limited accommodations for repair crews and incoming military personnel while assessments and repairs continue.