Roof of school collapses on Manitoba First Nation
Classes on a northern Manitoba First Nation have been cancelled until further notice after the roof of the community's school collapsed over the weekend.
On Sunday, the roof of the Thunderbird School in O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation collapsed under the weight of the heavy, wet snow. Then strong winds ripped the metal sheeting from the roof, causing further damage to the building.
Chief Shirley Ducharme said the school, which has 234 students enrolled from Kindergarten to Grade 10, has been closed until further notice.
She said engineers were at the school Tuesday to assess the damage, and they are waiting to hear what the next steps will be. With the building nearing 48 years old, Ducharme said this is not the first problem they have had with the building recently.
"When this happened, I wasn't totally surprised," the chief said. "One thing that we've been advocating with Indigenous Services Canada is for a new school. It's time for us to get a new school."
The roof collapse comes about a month after the community declared a state of emergency due to deaths and increased violence in the Manitoba First Nation.
"We're just trying to help our community with the other alcohol and drugs and violence in our community right now," Ducharme said. "I'm hoping school can reopen soon for our students so they can keep themselves busy for the remainder of the year."
In a statement, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) said it does not know how long O-Pipon-Na-Piwin Cree Nation will be without a school, but will help the community in getting a new one.
“We have already set the wheels in motion to assist in getting the community a new school. The existing one is now almost fifty years old,” said MKO Grand Chief Garrison Settee.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Here's what 'the hinge' move is, how to do it correctly
When you're picking something up from the floor or bending over to tie your shoe laces, you're performing "the hinge move," according to movement trainers.
Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Trump heading to Jersey Shore to rally 'mega crowd' in weekend break from hush money trial
After a long week in court, Donald Trump is heading to the Jersey Shore. And his campaign says he'll be joined by "tens of thousands" of his friends.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.