About 300 people from the Attawapiskat region in northern Ontario will be transported to Thunder Bay Sunday as the James Bay coast continues to be under the threat of flooding.
Dan Hefkey, the chief of Emergency Management Ontario, said businesses, organizations and municipalities in Ontario are all working together to help residents find shelter.
So far, about 200 residents from surrounding regions have been evacuated to the towns of Geraldton, Hearst and Kapuskasing.
Hefkey said eight flights will be used to transfer 300 people to Thunder Bay on Sunday.
"We've collectively pegged the risk at medium to high," Hefkey told CTV Newsnet Sunday morning. "We, in conjunction with the community and community leaders, are now moving the most vulnerable (out of the area)."
If the danger of flooding continues to rise, a second wave of evacuation would see older children transported to safety with their parents. If the danger persists beyond that, another 600 adults will be flown out of the area.
Government officials said Saturday the flood risks are the result of the breakup of the Attawapiskat River. Ice Jams are increasing the water flow in the small community, located about 500 kilometres north of Timmins, Ont.
Hefkey said flood threats are nothing new to the area and that officials try to be as prepared as they can be.
"We know these floods happen from year to year and so therefore what we do is work towards developing plans that will help the municipality best prepare -- should and when that flood occurs - on how to best evacuate the community," he said.
"Having those lists all ready to go so that when the risk rises and the flood waters are high, we can then very quickly start talking to municipalities that have already raised their hands and agreed to take in residents," he continued.
He said officials also speak with members of the First Nations community to ensure they know when to declare an emergency, how to declare it and what they can expect from emergency officials once a dangerous situation is declared.
