IGNACE – We’ve all seen the bright yellow signs in our neighbourhood that say, “Say No to Nuclear Waste.” They’ve been sprouting up on lawns for a couple of years as new information about the Nuclear Waste Management Organizations’ deep geological repository comes to light.
Since 2021, a series of studies to explore the potential impacts of building a deep geological repository to store Canada’s used nuclear fuel in the Ignace area has been underway. And since then, the Township of Ignace has been collaborating with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization in canvasing the Ignace and Wabigoon communities for input on their concerns about used nuclear waste.
“These studies look at both the present landscape and future ones considering scenarios either with or without the DGR project”, said Jeff Lederer, manager of planning, development, and engagement services, Township of Ignace. “They look at everything from population projections, labour, workforce to housing, infrastructure, recreation, and culture – giving us not only great insights to the planning and development needs but a focus on what needs to be considered and done.”
However, communities outside the Ignace and Wabigoon areas are expressing their concerns and feel that Ignace and Wabigoon shouldn’t be the sole voices on this issue.
Activist group We the Nuclear Free North has been actively sending letters to municipal governments across the Northwest region to raise awareness about the potential hazards of transporting and storage of used nuclear fuel.
Many of the group concerns centre around the idea that “The Nuclear Waste Management Organization is using the Township of Ignace as a proxy decision-maker, excluding area residents and communities downstream from the site and along the transportation route.” The Nuclear Free North wrote in an email address to the Terrace Bay council.
Ignace is more than 40 kilometres east of the candidate site in the Revell Lake area, which pleased the potential dig site well outside Ignace’s boundaries and on Treaty 3 land.
“Ignace should not be the decision-maker for all the communities downstream and along the transportation route. The risk will be borne by many; the decision cannot be made by just a few,” The letter continues.
These concerns are spread across the North as many of the public feel that the town of Ignace shouldn’t be the only ones to have decision rights in such large issues as the safe storage of used nuclear fuel.
Those feeling are not unwarranted when it comes to the devastating effects radioactivity might have on the environment.
However, to say that NWMO is using the town of Ignace as a proxy decision-maker might be a little bit of a stretch as Ignace Mayor Penny Lucas has repeatedly stated that she has been in favour of having the township host the NWMO since their NWMO announce that Ignace is one of the potential sites for the deep geological repository. The other potential site is in South Bruce, Ont.
When it comes to this project, Lucas has been at the forefront each step of the way.
“The results of the studies will provide important information as people consider whether the project is a good fit for the community,” said Lucas. “An informed decision must be founded in good information, and as ever, our focus is on providing Ignace residents with the information they need to make an informed decision on willingness.”
On the one hand, as mayor, Lucas has a duty to her constituents to be as transparent as possible. On the other hand, the transportation and storage of used nuclear fuel are far too big of a decision to leave up to one community of people.
Several communities, large and small, live along the transport route and if a collision were to happen, the potential risk of a spill out be devastating. Furthermore, once inside the repository, if containment was to fail and the waste seeps into the ground, the surrounding environment would be at risk.
“There is no other operating deep geological repository for high-level radioactive fuel waste anywhere in the world,” stated We The Nuclear Free North. “If and when this experiment fails, the downstream waters are at risk; there are hundreds of thousands of people living downstream in the English River-Wabigoon and Turtle River-Lake of the Woods watersheds toward Lake Winnipeg, and radioactive releases from the repository could affect thousands of lakes, camps, lodges, cottagers, Indigenous hunting and harvesting areas, and businesses in Northwestern Ontario.”
We The Nuclear Free North is correct to point out the potential risk to the environment, however, their statement is based solely on speculation considering there are no deep geological repositories in operation at this time. There is no way to know if this project will succeed or fail.
At the moment, Finland is the closest to constructing a deep geological repository which will be the first of its kind.
As for the Town of Ignace, Allan Webster, Director, Regulatory Affairs and Environment Assessment, Nuclear Waste Management Organization said “through these community studies, we hope to improve our knowledge of the potential host communities of Ignace and South Bruce, the Indigenous communities of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and the Saugeen Ojibway Nation, and the area surrounding each.”
If NWMO isn’t going to canvas persons across the province, NWMO seems to be committed to gathering public input from the surrounding Treaty 3 territory. As well as making sure that all of their research is public knowledge.
Webster continues, “through releasing these studies, we hope to better everyone’s understanding of what it means to host Canada’s largest environmental infrastructure project – so that our eventual host communities are both willing and informed.”
