We have been in discussions with the communities around the design and use of the Centre of Expertise since 2019, applying what we’ve learned to the preliminary plans for the centre.

The centre will be home to a technical and social research program and a technology demonstration program that displays the entire process of packaging and placing the containers of used nuclear fuel in the repository. The physical appearance of the centre will take the surrounding environment into consideration. A place for world-class science and innovation as well as enriching social services identified by local residents, the Centre of Expertise will bring new high-value jobs to the community, including scientists and experts from a wide variety of disciplines for generations to come.

The Centre of Expertise will be a multimillion-dollar investment in the area, making it one of the most tangible benefits and most exciting commitments made by the NWMO to the communities that host the deep geological repository.

Public feedback will be reflected in updated concepts of the facility, which will be shared with the communities as part of the NWMO’s ongoing journey of learning and dialogue with siting area communities.

Artistic concepts

This artist rendering shows one possible design for a Centre of Expertise in the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation-Ignace area.