Northern Manitoba community evacuated 20 years ago now fighting for First Nation status

An unofficial First Nations community in northwestern Manitoba is fighting to be recognized by the federal government.

People from Granville Lake, who also go by Pickerel Narrows First Nation, are working together to apply for independent band recognition to have a say in what happens with the people, land and resources in their community, which has been largely abandoned since it was evacuated more than 20 years ago.

Currently, the people and community of Granville Lake are governed under Mathias Colomb Cree Nation, a northern reserve about 70 kilometres from the isolated settlement.

However, they're working toward independent band recognition.

"I want to help the people that want to come back … and make sure they are properly taken care of, have the things they need — have clean drinking water, clean homes," said Ervin Bighetty, the elected leader of Pickerel Narrows, who currently lives in Leaf Rapids, as do many other former Granville Lake residents.

In 2003, human waste oozed onto the streets of Granville Lake after a septic system failed. Community leaders at the time called a full evacuation, resulting in the 70 people who lived there moving to Leaf Rapids, about 45 kilometres northeast of Granville Lake, and other communities.

The cleanup of the community included a new local septic system with holding tanks and pumps, a lift station, a water treatment plant, a lagoon and water and sewer lines, the province said in a statement to CBC earlier this month.

Some residents returned after the remediation, but many remained in Leaf Rapids or other communities, the province said, "believing that the sewage spill was not remediated."

Today, though there is no official population count, only two people live there year-round. However, Bighetty said there is a desire among some former residents to return.

They also want a say in what exploration and resource extraction happens on their land.

Last year, a gold mine near Lynn Lake — about 80 kilometres northwest of Granville Lake — was approved by the federal government. Kenorland Minerals also has an project in the exploration stage about 50 kilometres from Granville Lake.

Pickerel Narrows was identified in a 2021 report as a nation that could be impacted by the mine project near Lynn Lake. However, it was determined that  Indigenous Services Canada recognizes "Granville Lake Indian Settlement as a reserve under the government of Mathias Colomb Cree Nation."

Bighetty said there was a lack of consultation from Mathias Colomb with former Granville Lake residents on the project.

"The people need to be made aware of what's going on," he said.