Without funding, Listuguj's only shelter will close. What happens next?
"It's awful because 13 community members have lost their jobs, and then we have [about] 20 people that have no place to go," said Cathy Martin, chair of Epgwa's'g Temporary Shelter's board of directors.
The shelter, which opened in 2022, operates with eight beds and is often at maximum capacity. Due to its location on the Quebec-New Brunswick border, it also serves the nearby Mi'kmaw communities of Eel River Bar in New Brunswick and Gesgapegiag in Quebec, as well as providing services to non-Indigenous individuals from neighbouring areas like Campbellton, N.B., and Pointe-à-la-Croix, Que.
Epgwa's'g was established in response to a growing crisis of homelessness in Listuguj, which has an on-reserve population of 2,076.
"There's not enough housing in the community. There just simply isn't," said Martin.
Martin credited the community and local businesses in raising $70,000 which allowed the shelter to open its doors.
"The whole shelter, everything was donated in there… Every piece of furniture, every linen, everything," Martin said.
"Community came together to build that shelter."
Epgwa's'g has since relied on federal and provincial funding to sustain its operations. Martin said its primary funding source, the federal Pathways to Safe Indigenous Communities Initiative, wasn't renewed for the upcoming fiscal year.
'A drop in the bucket'
Martin said the board sought alternative funding through Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada and was able to secure $40,000 — but she said that's "a drop in the bucket" compared to what's needed.
She criticized the federal government for prioritizing Indigenous populations in urban areas like Montreal over rural Indigenous communities.
"Are you trying to lure our homeless into the city?" Martin asked.
Martin said she felt the federal government was catering to urban voters by trying to show they were addressing the issue of urban Indigenous homelessness, but failing to address the crisis on reserve.
"The true Indigenous homelessness that's happening in the community, nobody sees other than other First Nation people," she said.
"So you don't really care. You don't really care if they're taken care of or not."
Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada didn't respond to a request for comment by time of publishing.
Maxime Tardif, media spokesperson for Quebec's Indigenous Affairs minister, said the province recognizes the "delicate situation" the centre is in.
Tardif said the province contributed previously to the facility through its Indigenous Initiatives Fund IV program and said the province may be able to assess the shelter's needs again.
"We remain open to discussions with the organization to assess the extent of its financial requirements following this drastic and unprecedented cut by Indigenous Services Canada," said Tardif.
"That being said, it remains to the federal government to assume its responsibilities as a primary funding source for this establishment."
Lack of options
If Epgwa's'g closes, the nearest available shelter is about 100 kilometres away in Bathurst and can serve at least 28 people but is at maximum capacity.
"We are currently facing a very similar dire situation," said Jeremy Rousselle, manager of the Bathurst shelter.
It may be forced to close its doors by the end of next month because a partnership with the local youth centre ended.
"I wish I could be of much more assistance. But sadly, besides space for one female, I have no place for anybody," Rousselle said.
The New Brunswick Department of Social Development said it was working with community partners to try and find a solution to allow the Bathurst Emergency Homeless Shelter to continue operating without disruption.
There are three shelters in Miramichi, N.B., operated by Miramichi Housing Solutions, with a combined capacity of 28 individuals. However, these facilities are frequently full.
Luke Tucker, business officer with Miramichi Housing Solutions, said the possible closure of two shelters in the region was "absolutely brutal and devastating."
"We are concerned about the closures of other shelters, absolutely, because that becomes an overflow into other parts of the province and things and it puts a bottleneck on services," said Tucker.
Maison de L'Espoir de Mont-Joli in Mont-Joli, Que., about 170 kilometres from Listuguj, holds a total of nine beds but was unable to share information about its current capacity. A representative at Accueil Blanche Goulet in Gaspé, Que., about 300 kilometres from Listuguj, said it is at maximum capacity, but was unable to share the total number of beds.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
14 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Burnt offerings, whispering to mountains: Inside Bolivians' rituals for Mother Earth
LA CUMBRE, Bolivia (AP) — Neyza Hurtado was 3 years old when she was struck by lightning. Forty years later, sitting next to a bonfire on a 13,700-foot (4,175-meter) mountain, her scarred forehead makes her proud. 'I am the lightning,' she said. 'When it hit me, I became wise and a seer. That's what we masters are.' Hundreds of people in Bolivia hire Andean spiritual guides like Hurtado to perform rituals every August, the month of 'Pachamama,' or Mother Earth, according to the worldview of the Aymara, an Indigenous people of the region. Pachamama's devotees believe that she awakens hungry and thirsty after the dry season. To honor her and express gratitude for her blessings, they make offerings at home, in their crop fields and on the peaks of Bolivian mountains. 'We come here every August to follow in the footsteps of our elders,' said Santos Monasterios, who hired Hurtado for a Pachamama ritual on a site called La Cumbre, about 8 miles (13 kilometers) from the capital city of La Paz. 'We ask for good health and work.' Honoring Mother Earth Offerings made to Pachamama are known as 'mesitas' (or 'little tables'). Depending on each family's wishes, masters like Hurtado prepare one mesita per family or per person. Mesitas are made of wooden logs. On top of them, each master places sweets, grains, coca leaves and small objects representing wealth, protection and good health. Occasionally, llama or piglet fetuses are also offered. Once the mesita is ready, the spiritual guide sets it on fire and devotees douse their offerings with wine or beer, to quench Pachamama's thirst. 'When you make this ritual, you feel relieved,' Monasterios said. 'I believe in this, so I will keep sharing a drink with Pachamama.' It can take up to three hours for a mesita to burn. Once the offerings have turned to ash, the devotees gather and solemnly bury the remains to become one with Mother Earth. Why Bolivians make offerings to Pachamama Carla Chumacero, who travelled to La Cumbre last week with her parents and a sister, requested four mesitas from her longtime spiritual guide. 'Mother Earth demands this from us, so we provide,' the 28-year-old said. According to Chumacero, how they become aware of Pachamama's needs is hard to explain. 'We just know it; it's a feeling,' she said. 'Many people go through a lot — accidents, trouble within families — and that's when we realize that we need to present her with something, because she has given us so much and she can take it back.' María Ceballos, 34, did not inherit her devotion from her family, but from co-workers at the gold mine where she earns a living. 'We make offerings because our work is risky,' Ceballos said. 'We use heavy machinery and we travel often, so we entrust ourselves to Pachamama.' A ritual rooted in time and climate The exact origin of the Pachamama rituals is difficult to determine, but according to Bolivian anthropologist Milton Eyzaguirre, they are an ancestral tradition dating back to 6,000 B.C. As the first South American settlers came into the region, they faced soil and climate conditions that differed from those in the northernmost parts of the planet, where winter begins in December. In Bolivia, as in other Southern Hemisphere countries, winter runs from June to September. 'Here, the cold weather is rather dry,' Eyzaguirre said. 'Based on that, there is a particular behavior in relation to Pachamama.' Mother Earth is believed to be asleep throughout August. Her devotees wish for her to regain her strength and bolster their sowing, which usually begins in October and November. A few months later, when the crops are harvested in February, further rituals are performed. 'These dates are key because it's when the relationship between humans and Pachamama is reactivated,' Eyzaguirre said. 'Elsewhere it might be believed that the land is a consumer good,' he added. 'But here there's an equilibrium: You have to treat Pachamama because she will provide for you.' Bolivians' connection to their land August rituals honor not only Pachamama, but also the mountains or 'apus,' considered protective spirits for the Aymara and Quechua people. 'Under the Andean perspective, all elements of nature have a soul,' Eyzaguirre said. 'We call that 'Ajayu,' which means they have a spiritual component.' For many Bolivians, wind, fire, and water are considered spirits, and the apus are perceived as ancestors. This is why many cemeteries are located in the highlands and why Pachamama rituals are performed at sites like La Cumbre. 'The apus protect us and keep an eye on us,' said Rosendo Choque, who has been a spiritual guide or 'yatiri' for 40 years. He, like Hurtado, said that only a few select people can do they job. Before becoming masters, it is essential that they acquire special skills and ask Pachamama's permission to perform rituals in her honor. 'I acquired my knowledge little by little,' Choque said. 'But I now have the permission to do this job and coca leaves speak to me.' Hurtado said she mostly inherited her knowledge from her grandmother, who was also a yatiri and witnessed how she survived the lightning strike. Sundays Kevin Rollason's Sunday newsletter honouring and remembering lives well-lived in Manitoba. 'For me, she is the holiest person, the one who made me what I am,' Hurtado said. She said she finds comfort in helping her clients secure a good future, but her close relationship with Pachamama brings her the deepest joy. 'We respect her because she is Mother Earth,' Hurtado said. 'We live in her.' ____ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Toronto Sun
2 days ago
- Toronto Sun
Thousands to flee First Nation in northern Manitoba over wildfire threat
Published Aug 04, 2025 • 2 minute read This photo provided by the Manitoba government shows a wildfire raging in the northern part of the province earlier this year. WINNIPEG — Thousands of people have fled from a First Nation in northern Manitoba Monday as wildfires burned closer and closer to the community. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, also called Nelson House, issued a full evacuation order Sunday in response to the blazes, as flames threatened to cut off road access and muddied air quality. It was upgraded one day later to a mandatory evacuation. The community's roughly 4,000 residents were to register with the Cree Nation before busing to the Thompson Airport, about 75 kilometres away, to fly to Winnipeg. On social media, Nisichawayasihk Chief Angela Levasseur said crews are working around the clock to make sure everyone gets out safely. 'We are also doing everything in our power to make sure every possible measure is taken to suppress the wildfires that threaten our beloved ancestral lands,' she said in the post. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We want you to know that we have escalated our concerns to the highest levels of government — including the Premier of Manitoba and the Prime Minister of Canada — to make our needs and demands clear on behalf of our citizens.' An update says wildfire crews with the province have identified several new fire starts. 'Given the proximity to Nelson House and the city of Thompson, the potential for damage is significant and should not be underestimated,' the update says. Manitoba's wildfire service says at least two wildfires are burning north of Nisichawayasihk, including one more than 460 square kilometres in size. Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, an advocacy group representing some northern First Nations, said more than 1,300 people registered with the Canadian Red Cross in Winnipeg as of Monday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. More were expected to arrive later in the day, the group said, noting it would provide essentials like hygiene packs, toothpaste, toothbrushes, snacks and juice. 'Our hearts are with you,' the group said. 'We pray for rain and a quick return home.' In July, residents of the Cree Nation were ordered to evacuate following a state of emergency over heavy wildfire smoke. Monday's evacuation comes as the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reports almost 750 wildfires across Canada, including one about 60 kilometres from Nanaimo, B.C. Another two are along the shores of Conception Bay in eastern Newfoundland. The BC Wildfire Service said the Wesley Ridge wildfire on Vancouver Island has grown to more than five square kilometres. Officials said a small amount of rain is expected this week, but dry conditions in the area mean it would take a lot to tame the fire. Meanwhile, the Newfoundland and Labrador government issued evacuation orders for the two towns of Small Point-Adam's Cove-Blackhead-Broad Cove and Kingston due to a 150-hectare wildfire that had come within one kilometre of Kingston. Another evacuation order was issued for portions of the town of Holyrood, N.L. Smoke from the wildfires has filled many Canadian skies from Vancouver Island to Toronto to Charlottetown with grey and gritty haze. One air quality tracker on Monday ranked Toronto as having some of the worst air quality in the world. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Opinion Columnists Weird Wrestling Toronto & GTA
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Thousands to flee First Nation in northern Manitoba over wildfire threat
WINNIPEG – Thousands have fled from a First Nation in northern Manitoba as wildfires burn close to the community. The Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation near Nelson House issued a full evacuation order Sunday in response to the blazes as flames threatened to cut off road access. It's been upgraded to a mandatory evacuation and the community's residents — approximately 4,000 people — were to register at the Norman Linklater Memorial Multiplex before boarding planes for Winnipeg. Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation Chief Angela Levasseur says crews are doing everything they can to suppress the flames and says concerns have been shared with provincial and federal leaders. Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, a group representing some northern First Nations, says more than 1,300 people have registered with the Canadian Red Cross in Winnipeg, and more were expected to arrive Monday. In July, some residents of the First Nation were ordered to evacuate following a state of emergency over heavy wildfire smoke. Wildfire smoke from across the west has filled many Canadian skies from Vancouver Island to Charlottetown with grey and gritty haze. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 4, 2025.
