OTTAWA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Canadian government on Friday approved the deployment of a specialized military team to the Pimicikamak Cree Nation in Manitoba province to address a severe infrastructure crisis following a prolonged power outage.
Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience Eleanor Olszewski announced the decision in a statement posted on X, saying that the team will provide targeted assessment and advisory support focused on water treatment and sewage systems, power generation, project management and logistics.
This deployment came in response to a state of emergency declared by the Pimicikamak Cree Nation on Dec. 29, 2025, after a snapped power line left the community without electricity for days amid freezing temperatures.
According to local media, the outage caused extensive damage, including burst pipes, sewage backups, and compromised water and heating systems.
Pimicikamak Cree Nation Chief David Monias had been advocating for the deployment of the Canadian Armed Forces to provide emergency logistical support. He told local media that at least 200 homes were unlivable due to the damage, and the vast majority of the community's more than 1,300 homes have yet to be assessed for damage.
About 4,000 residents of the First Nation, which has an on-reserve population of around 7,000, have been evacuated to other communities across the province, local media reported. ■