Canada’s Armed Forces personnel have joined the ranks of local tradesmen and volunteers to begin to repair hundreds of homes damaged n Pimicikamak Cree Nation in the aftermath of a power outage last month.

The power outage left the community, 530 kilometres north of Winnipeg, without electricity for five days, while frozen pipes damaged much of the community’s water and system.

Seven soldiers arrived on Jan. 11 to help local workers assess damage to homes and infrastructure. Three more will be arriving in the community on Wednesday.

The emergency marked the third time in the past year that residents have had to evacuate the area. The community issued two evacuation orders in summer 2025 as wildfires approached.

Most of the estimated 1,300 homes in the area have seen at least some damage.