The Township of Ignace has confirmed its willingness to move forward to the next phase of the site selection process to host a deep geological repository to safely contain and isolate Canada’s used nuclear fuel for the long term.
Ignace is the first of four communities in the site selection process to share their decision, which comes following more than a decade of engagement with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO).
“We congratulate the Township and its residents for reaching this important step and admire the thought and care that has gone into this process and into shaping what the project could look like in the community,” said Lise Morton, Vice-President of Site Selection at the NWMO. “We could not have gotten to where we are today without the leadership and dedication to learning shown by the people of Ignace.”
The NWMO has always said that the project will only proceed in an area with informed and willing host communities, where the municipality, Indigenous peoples, and others in the area are working together to implement it.
The Township’s willingness process provided numerous opportunities for the community to provide input on the project. A multi-phased community engagement program led by a third-party engagement consultant included direct dialogue with residents, youth engagement and a community vote open to residents 16 and older. In addition, a volunteer Willingness Ad Hoc Committee considered the results of the engagement activities and provided guidance to Council on the community’s willingness to host the project.
The NWMO continues to collaborate with the three other communities involved in the site selection process to understand community willingness to move forward. Discussions are ongoing with Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation in the northwest, Saugeen Ojibway Nation (comprised of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and the Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation) and the Municipality of South Bruce in the southwest, which will hold a municipal referendum in October 2024.
In addition to willing host communities, the NWMO must be confident that the site we select will meet stringent safety requirements, and that we can develop a safe, socially acceptable plan to transport the used fuel from current, temporary storage to the site. Once we select a site for the project, we will enter a mandatory multi-year regulatory decision-making process including an impact assessment and license applications. Led by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), the impact assessment provides an opportunity for public participation and is designed to ensure the project meets or exceeds strict regulatory criteria to protect the health, safety and security of people and the environment.
Ignace is the first of four communities in the site selection process to share their decision, which comes following more than a decade of engagement with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO).
“We congratulate the Township and its residents for reaching this important step and admire the thought and care that has gone into this process and into shaping what the project could look like in the community,” said Lise Morton, Vice-President of Site Selection at the NWMO. “We could not have gotten to where we are today without the leadership and dedication to learning shown by the people of Ignace.”
The NWMO has always said that the project will only proceed in an area with informed and willing host communities, where the municipality, Indigenous peoples, and others in the area are working together to implement it.
The Township’s willingness process provided numerous opportunities for the community to provide input on the project. A multi-phased community engagement program led by a third-party engagement consultant included direct dialogue with residents, youth engagement and a community vote open to residents 16 and older. In addition, a volunteer Willingness Ad Hoc Committee considered the results of the engagement activities and provided guidance to Council on the community’s willingness to host the project.
The NWMO continues to collaborate with the three other communities involved in the site selection process to understand community willingness to move forward. Discussions are ongoing with Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation in the northwest, Saugeen Ojibway Nation (comprised of the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and the Chippewas of Saugeen First Nation) and the Municipality of South Bruce in the southwest, which will hold a municipal referendum in October 2024.
In addition to willing host communities, the NWMO must be confident that the site we select will meet stringent safety requirements, and that we can develop a safe, socially acceptable plan to transport the used fuel from current, temporary storage to the site. Once we select a site for the project, we will enter a mandatory multi-year regulatory decision-making process including an impact assessment and license applications. Led by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), the impact assessment provides an opportunity for public participation and is designed to ensure the project meets or exceeds strict regulatory criteria to protect the health, safety and security of people and the environment.
Press Release
Willingness Ad Hoc Committee Summary
Ignace Report