Come Monday, Cochrane will be a host community for evacuees from spring flooding along the James Bay coast.
Community Emergency Management Coordinator Richard Vallée says 111 residents of Kashechewan will arrive in town. They’ll be staying at the North Adventure Inn and the Chimo Motel. Even with the other hotels in town being booked for next week’s Dudley-Hewitt hockey tournament, Vallée says the town will still be able to receive at least 200 people.
Cochrane has been a host community to flood evacuees for several years. Vallée confirms that the federal government pays all the expenses.
“We have the Boy Scout Hall which will be the place where they’ll be receiving services from the Red Cross and also where the meals will be served,” he says.
The meals will be culturally appropriate for the indigenous evacuees. The Aboriginal Peoples Alliance of Northern Ontario (APANO) is the main caterer, with the Ininew Friendship Centre providing snacks.
“We’re back in the business, but we’re really used to it,” Vallée comments. “We’re all psyched up and everybody’s all excited about getting people coming in on Monday. So it’s about getting all the I’s dotted at this point.”