In a deputation to Thunder Bay City Council, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) reiterated our commitment to safety and the importance of ensuring the site selection process for the long-term storage of Canada’s used nuclear fuel is based on partnership and consent.
“There has been a lot of discussion in the northwestern Ontario region recently about the option of managing nuclear waste closer to where it is generated,” said Joanne Jacyk, Site Director, Ignace at the NWMO. “We need to complete the site selection process to ensure we have willing host communities. Siting a facility arbitrarily near an existing nuclear site would disregard the voices of nearby communities and First Nations — that’s not right. We are committed to a different approach, one based on partnership and consent.”
The guiding principles of the site selection process for a deep geological repository for Canada’s used nuclear fuel include ensuring that the communities near the site are informed and willing.
After the deputation, Thunder Bay City Council voted against sending a letter opposing the shipping of used nuclear fuel through Thunder Bay. We welcome the opportunity to continue discussions with the council, other municipalities and anyone else interested in learning more about the safe transportation of used nuclear fuel, or any other topic related to our work.
The NWMO has always said that Canada’s deep geological repository will only be located in an area with informed and willing hosts. This approach aligns with the values and priorities that Canadians and Indigenous peoples have identified as important in siting a used nuclear fuel repository.
In July 2024, with the support of more than 77 per cent of eligible voters, the Township of Ignace confirmed the community wants to move forward to the next phase of the site selection process. The three other communities in the process continue to consider the project.
The NWMO also appreciates that the transportation of used nuclear fuel is a subject of broad public interest, even though it will not happen until the 2040s, and only following a rigorous, multi-year regulatory review process and an estimated 10 years of construction to build the deep geological repository.
“We share Thunder Bay City Council's interest in ensuring the safety of the community and the environment,” said Caitlin Burley, Director, Strategic Programs and Transportation at the NWMO. “We also encourage everyone to continue to ask us questions and review information from Canadian and international regulators. When it comes to transportation, we’ll have many more years to answer questions and evolve our plan. To ensure we have a solid foundation for those discussions, we encourage people to review the planning documents we released in 2021. They summarize the wide range of priorities, questions and concerns we’ve heard to date from Canadians and Indigenous peoples about the transportation of used nuclear fuel.”
Regulations for the safe transportation of used nuclear fuel
Canadian and international transportation regulations for radioactive materials have been in place for over 60 years, and the strength of this strict regulatory framework has been validated by real-life transportation. In that time, internationally and within Canada, there have been no serious injuries, health impacts, fatalities or environmental consequences attributable to the radiological nature of used nuclear fuel shipments.
The regulations specify package design and safety requirements that consider the impact of accidents and malfunctions. To be certified by the regulator, transportation package designs for shipments of used fuel must demonstrate the ability to withstand severe accident conditions, thereby preventing the release of radioactive material into the environment even under those extreme conditions. Additionally, each individual shipment requires a unique licence to transport issued by the regulator prior to departure.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) regulates the transportation of used nuclear fuel through a series of safety and security regulatory requirements covering the entire journey of a shipment, from the time it is initially packaged to its arrival at its final destination. CNSC inspectors will regularly conduct inspections to assess whether shipments of nuclear substances are carried out in compliance with applicable regulations. The NWMO will implement procedures for package maintenance, inspection and preparation for shipment, as required by the regulations
More information about the NWMO’s transportation plan is available here.