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An alliance of Northern Ontario citizens’ groups concerned about the nuclear industry’s plan to construct a deep geological repository for high-level nuclear waste has launched an online petition calling on the federal government to require the Nuclear Waste Management Organization to demonstrate that it has the consent of residents and communities, including First Nations and Treaty Organizations, along the transportation route and in the region of and downstream of the candidate repository site(s) before selecting a site.
The NWMO has been engaged in a site search since 2010 and since 2020 has been focused on two municipalities as potential “host communities”: the municipality of South Bruce in Southwestern Ontario, and the Township of Ignace in Northwestern Ontario. The Township of Ignace is 43 km east of the NWMO’s candidate site between Ignace and Dryden, and in a different watershed – factors which critics say disqualify it from acting as a “host” community.
“The federal government is responsible for nuclear matters, and we are calling on them to act responsibly”, said petition organizer Brennain Lloyd, with the group Northwatch.
“The NWMO has said repeatedly that they will only proceed with an “informed and willing host”, but the communities along the transportation route are “hosts” to the same risks as the Township of Ignace but are shut out of the NWMO’s site selection process. Residents living closer to the site and downstream live with the short and long term risks of nuclear contamination but are not being asked if they are “willing””.
The Township of Ignace currently has consultants visiting the town periodically and carrying out an online poll which the Council says will inform their decision, but it is the five-person municipal council that will make the decision on whether the NWMO can label the town as a “willing host”.
“Now is the time for all of us to speak up”, added Dodie LeGassick, nuclear lead for Thunder Bay based Environment North.
“Ignace has just announced that it will making its decision by the end of July, and the NWMO says it will select a site before the end of the year. The federal government must intervene to bring some fairness and facts into the NWMO siting process. That’s what this petition is about”.
The online petition is on a site operated by the Government of Canada, and will be open for signatures from citizens and residents of Canada until May 3rd. The federal government will then have 45 days to respond.
A link to the petition is posted at https://wethenuclearfreenorth.ca/petitions/
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