An inquest has been scheduled into the deaths of five people who succumbed to blastomycosis during an outbreak in Constance Lake First Nation, a remote northern Ontario community, the Ministry of the Solicitor General announced Wednesday.
Dr. Harry Voogjarv, Regional Supervising Coroner for the North Region, Sudbury office, confirmed that proceedings will begin at 9:30 a.m. on October 15, 2025. The inquest will examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Luke Moore, 43; Lorraine Shaganash, 47; Lizzie Sutherland, 56; Mark Ferris, 67; and Douglas Taylor, 60.
The five individuals died in hospital between November 2021 and January 2022 after contracting blastomycosis, a serious fungal infection, during an outbreak in Constance Lake First Nation, located near Hearst, Ont. The inquest has been called under Ontario’s Coroners Act, with the aim of determining what happened and how similar tragedies might be prevented.
“The jury may make recommendations aimed at preventing further deaths,” the Ministry stated in its release.
Presiding Officials and Structure
Dr. Michael Wilson has been appointed presiding officer. He will oversee a panel of inquest counsel including Kristin Smith, Julian Roy, and Shruti Ramesh.
The inquest is expected to last 25 days and hear testimony from approximately 30 witnesses. Hearings will take place in a hybrid format, with both in-person and virtual sessions. From October 15 to 17, the proceedings will be held at the Constance Lake community hall, while subsequent hearings will continue by video conference beginning October 20.
Members of the public will be able to follow the hearings live through a dedicated online link: https://firstclassfacilitation.ca/office-of-the-chief-coroner/inquest-into-the-deaths-of-luke-moore-lorraine-shaganash-lizzie-sutherland-mark-ferris-and-douglas-taylor/.
Background: A Community in Crisis
The outbreak of blastomycosis in Constance Lake First Nation drew widespread concern in late 2021 and early 2022. The illness, caused by inhaling spores of the Blastomyces fungus often found in soil and decaying wood, can lead to severe respiratory infections and, in some cases, death.
The deaths of Moore, Shaganash, Sutherland, Ferris, and Taylor placed a spotlight on public health and housing conditions in Indigenous communities, where overcrowding and infrastructure challenges may increase vulnerability to environmental diseases.
At the time of the outbreak, Constance Lake First Nation leaders declared a state of emergency, calling for urgent provincial and federal assistance to identify the source of the fungus and mitigate further risk.
Purpose of the Inquest
Inquests in Ontario are not meant to assign blame but to establish the circumstances of a death and explore systemic factors that may have contributed. The jury can then issue recommendations to help prevent similar outcomes.
In this case, officials expect testimony to focus on the health system response, environmental conditions in Constance Lake First Nation, and the timeliness of medical interventions during the outbreak. Witnesses are likely to include medical experts, public health officials, community leaders, and family members of the deceased.
The findings could carry broad implications for how governments and health authorities address future public health threats in northern and Indigenous communities.
Looking Ahead
The 25-day inquest underscores the seriousness with which Ontario’s Office of the Chief Coroner is treating the outbreak and its tragic toll.
Public access to the proceedings ensures transparency in the review process and provides an opportunity for community members, advocates, and policy-makers to follow developments closely.
For further details about Ontario’s inquest process, the Ministry has directed the public to its official information page: https://www.ontario.ca/page/coroners-inquests.
