About half of evacuated Long Plain First Nation residents have returned home, but there could still be up to eight months left of work before the rest can come back. Chief Dennis Meeches gives the update.

"For the most part I think we have all the roof repair work done. We've engaged a company for mould remediation -- Denver Property Restoration. They're underway.  So, it looks like things are moving okay, I guess."

School grounds quietHe adds they're awaiting approval for some further work.

"With the band housing we submitted all our reports to INAC (Indigenous Northern Affairs Canada). There's some preliminary work done on band houses. But again we're waiting for some approvals from INAC on band housing. From what I understand some families have returned home. We still have quite a number that are evacuated. That work will take some time."

Meeches says they've made efforts to avoid any more repeated relocating of evacuated families that have caused disruptions with their children's schooling.

"A lot of those families are going to be in Winnipeg.  And of course, LSM (Lake St. Martin First Nation) has been under evacuation since 2011. I asked Chief Adrian Sinclair if it's possible to have our children attend their school. So, they agreed to host our children and that started this week."