Residents of Peguis First Nation can get a first look at long-term plans to protect their community from flooding during a public information session being held this week in Manitoba.
The Long-Term Flood Mitigation Community Information Session will allow community members to learn about strategies being developed to address the chronic flooding that has plagued Peguis for decades.
The gathering comes just months after Peguis declared a state of emergency on April 18, 2026, as flooding became a certainty at levels similar to the devastating 2022 flood that forced roughly 2,000 residents from their homes. Since 2000, the First Nation has endured at least 12 major floods, and 784 people remain displaced from earlier disasters in 2014, 2017, and 2022, largely due to a shortage of adequate housing.
Chief Dr. Stan Bird has said the community is working with engineering firm AECOM to advance mitigation strategies that include off-stream water storage and other protective measures. The chief has also committed to reviewing which areas are no longer safe for housing, moving structures to higher ground, and developing new subdivisions to build a safer future.
In April 2024, Peguis filed a $1 billion lawsuit against the federal and provincial governments and two rural municipalities over damage caused by the 2022 flood. Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew visited Peguis in April 2026 and pledged to work toward permanent flood protection, while Indigenous Services Canada has provided millions of dollars in recent years for emergency response and recovery.
The information session is part of broader efforts to turn years of discussion into concrete action. Residents can expect to see the latest AECOM plans and offer feedback on how to better shield their community from the next inevitable flood.
