New fire hall in Mashteuiatsh, QC: A Significant Milestone in Closing the Health and Safety Gaps for First Nations Firefighters

Ilnussi de Mashteuiatsh, located on the shores of Pekuakami (Lake Saint-Jean) in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, has opened a new fire station that will improve the safety of residents due to its strategic position at the heart of the community. The original fire hall has been relocated to mitigate the risk of traffic incidents caused by its proximity to a railway and the presence of young families, while improving response times.

As of December 2024, there are 11,590 First Nation members, including 2,114 residents in Mashteuiatsh.

This project marks the culmination of a successful collaboration that began over 3 years ago. It involved the Community Infrastructure team in the regional office of Indigenous Services Canada, the Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation Council, Circuit Rider Fire Protection Trainers, and many professionals who participated in various stages of implementing this important initiative.

The new infrastructure covers an area of 987 m2. The Ashtuehitsheutshuap building, which means "House of Fire Fighting" in Nelueun, meets all provincial health and safety standards for fire protection services. This provides safer working conditions for staff and enables a more effective response to emergencies.

A decontamination route is set up for firefighters, clearly marked with red, yellow, and green areas to reduce the risk of contamination when returning from a response. A dedicated service room for respirators has been designed to allow the filling of air cylinders. The new facilities address space requirements such as equipment maintenance, pipe washing and drying, and personal protective equipment decontamination. Furthermore, 3 administrative offices and a training room have been added.

Almost 40% of the hours worked on this site were performed by Indigenous workers. This project received an investment of more than $8 million from Indigenous Services Canada under the Fire Protection component of the Capital Facilities and Maintenance Program. This program is an important lever to support First Nations community infrastructure. Its objective is to provide concrete support for First Nations so that they can benefit from reliable and sustainable infrastructure adapted to their needs and priorities.

"Katakuhimatsheta, the Council of Elders, and I are pleased to see this project come to fruition for the safety of firefighters and residents in Mashteuiatsh. Its strategic location in the heart of the community provides  fire protection to the population by improving response time for firefighters. In addition, the separation freed up by firefighters in the Mashteuiatsh Public Safety building allows for the expansion of the police station,"said Gilbert Dominique, Chief of the Pekuakamiulnuatsh First Nation.