WinnipegFreePress tells MHProNews.com members of Lake St. Martin First Nation will be moving to new temporary modular homes in mid-February northwest of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Spring flooding forced over 700 residents of Lake St. Martin from their homes, 487 of whom are living in hotels in Winnipeg. An additional 1,687 residents from the area have private accommodations. The 150 modular homes will be sited at the old Gypsumville radar base, about six miles from the First Nation’s original location. Lake St. Martin members living in hotels are upset their children missed weeks of schooling, and are scattered in schools around the city. Aboriginal Affairs Minister Eric Robinson said, “A permanent location for the reserve is what we need to do but that’s going to take a bit of time. I would expect that would take a year or two.” The temporary site will cost $40 million and will include a school. Residents expressed concerns the housing may become permanent, and that the Gypsumville location is on a migratory path for garter snakes.
