The James Smith Cree Nation says it is in a state of crisis.
Flooding on the reserve has contaminated the drinking water supply.
A child from the reserve was airlifted from Melfort to Saskatoon with a “water contamination virus” after drinking some of the water.
A band spokesperson says the child is OK — they are just waiting for test results. The rest of the family is being tested, as well.
Band co-manager Dona Bear says they have brought in bottled water for the remaining people on the reserve, but the rain is still coming down:
“Right now, we have evacuated 126 people from their homes because there’s roads flooded and it became a health issue that people couldn’t get out of their homes, people were stuck. Last Monday, we had a dialysis client that had to walk 45 minutes though the mud to get to a taxi where he could get a ride.”
The band is holding an emergency meeting today with officials from the province and the Department of Aboriginal Affairs.
Bear says one of the main problems is the money estimated to fix their water system and a local bridge.
She says one government agency pegged the cost at $200,000 — but when they brought in an independent engineer, he suggested it was more like $3.2 million.