In March 2012, South Bruce's Mayor and Council passed a resolution requesting an initial screening of the community's potential suitability to host the project. This screening involved a review based on readily available information about the geology of the community and vicinity.

South Bruce's initial screening was completed in August 2012. It did not identify any obvious conditions that would exclude the South Bruce area from further consideration in the site selection process.

We encouraged communities that passed the initial screening to begin learning more about the project. We provided an initial briefing and invited representatives to take a tour of an interim storage facility for used nuclear fuel. We also encouraged communities to meet with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to learn about the regulatory framework that will govern the project.

Resources:

• Initial Screening - South Bruce - Summary Report
• Initial Screening - South Bruce - Full Report

In November 2012, South Bruce's Mayor and Council passed a resolution asking the NWMO to initiate a Preliminary Assessment of the community's potential suitability to host the project.

In December 2014, we completed the first phase of Preliminary Assessment of the site selection process in collaboration with South Bruce.

This phase involved:

• Desktop studies that explored the potential to find a site that can safely and securely contain and isolate used nuclear fuel; and
• Community learning and dialogue activities to build understanding about the project and to explore its potential to align with the community's long-term vision.

Based on studies to date, the community appeared to have strong potential for meeting strict safety and geotechnical requirements and for the project to align with its long-term vision. The studies also identified a number of uncertainties to be further explored through more detailed study.

Resources:

• Summary of December 2014 Phase 1 Decisions
• Integrated Preliminary Assessment Report
• Community Profile
• Phase 1 Geoscientific Desktop Preliminary Assessment of Potential Suitability for Siting a Deep Geological Repository
• Phase 1 Geoscientific Desktop Preliminary Assessment, Terrain and Remote Sensing Study
• Geoscientific Desktop Preliminary Assessment, Processing and Interpretation of Borehole Geophysical Log and 2D Seismic Data
• Geoscientific Desktop Preliminary Assessment, Processing and Interpretation of Geophysical Data
• Phase 1 Desktop Assessment, Environment Report
• Preliminary Community Well-Being Assessment

The NWMO and communities have begun more detailed discussions on how to advance learning and build the sustainable partnerships that would be required to support the implementation of Canada’s plan for the safe, long-term management of used nuclear fuel.

The NWMO has outlined a multi-step road map to guide these partnership discussions. The road map focuses on exploring potential to advance the project in partnership with people in the area, as well as putting in place a framework to implement the project if a preferred site is identified in the area.

South Bruce has identified values and principles to guide discussions with the NWMO to explore partnership and to consider the project in more detail. These values and principles, and the engagement activities that led to their development, are described in the summary report below.

Resources:

• Guiding principles for exploring partnership – Community conversations update (summary report)
• NWMO and community introductory presentation with overview of the partnership road map (supporting material)
• Community conversations (supporting material)

A partnership working group has been formed between the NWMO and the Municipality of South Bruce.

It includes municipal and NWMO representatives, with the purpose of exploring the Adaptive Phased Management (APM) project and what it would mean if Canada’s plan were implemented in the area.

It also explores:

• The potential for partnership and to consider how the APM project might be configured in order to align with the municipality’s priorities and objectives;
• The near- and longer-term investments in the community related to Canada’s plan; and
• How the broader area would be involved.

The partnership working group works towards the ongoing development of the strategic project plan for the municipality and the NWMO, as well as related activities to support the potential for partnership.

The group proposed a framework and list of milestones (including scope, timelines, resources and budgets) for further dialogue and decision-making. The partnership working groups have no decision-making authority. They meet monthly or as agreed to by working group members.

A key part of the selection process is studying and identifying a site that can safely house the underground repository and its surface-level facilities. Part of that work required us to assemble and access sufficient land to complete our studies, including borehole drilling, environmental monitoring and other site investigation work such as Indigenous cultural verification.

In South Bruce and Huron-Kinloss, the NWMO sought to sign agreements to access sufficient land in order to complete those studies. This was referred to as the Land Access Process, initiated in May 2019. Similar land is already available to us in the Ignace area. 

In January 2020, the NWMO signed agreements with landowners in South Bruce, Ont., that allowed sufficient access to land for studies at a potential deep geological repository location. 

In October 2020, the NWMO signed additional agreements with landowners and shared details and a map of the potential deep geological repository site in South Bruce, Ont. The NWMO also outlined next steps to confirm safety at the site and made a commitment to protect property values in the area if it is selected to host a repository.

In 2021, the NWMO signed additional agreements with landowners for 250 acres of land and shared an updated map of the potential deep geological repository site in South Bruce, Ont.

To learn more about the Land Access Process, please read The Land Access Process: Next steps in Huron-Kinloss and South Bruce.

• Site Selection Update: South Bruce
• The Land Access Process: Next steps in Huron-Kinloss and South Bruce
• The Land Access Process: Mapping areas of interest

In 2019, we announced that two areas would continue in the site selection process: either Huron-Kinloss or South Bruce, and the Ignace area. In Huron-Kinloss and South Bruce, one community would move forward once a potential repository site was located through an ongoing process with local landowners. 

In January 2020, the NWMO signed agreements with landowners in South Bruce, Ont., that allowed sufficient access to land for studies at a potential deep geological repository location. It was also concluded that the Township of Huron-Kinloss, Ont., will no longer be considered a potential host for the project; however, as a neighbour to South Bruce, the community will continue to play a strong role as activities continue.

This decision followed several years of progressively more detailed study and engagement.

Resources:

• Phase 2 Preliminary Assessments: Summary findings and decisions based on advanced detailed studies
• Phase 2 Preliminary Assessment: Potential for Partnership - Municipality of South Bruce and Township of Huron-Kinloss and Area, Ontario

In September 2019 and January 2021, the NWMO initiated community surveys in South Bruce to better understand and improve the way we communicate and engage with the public. The surveys were conducted by an independent Canadian research firm on behalf of the NWMO and were designed to determine how communities would like to receive information during the site selection process.

Documents :

• South Bruce Community Survey Report (2019)
• Community Survey Methodological Note (2019)
• 2021 South Bruce Community Survey Report

As part of the site assessment process, the NWMO has conducted environmental monitoring to create a baseline of understanding to ensure we can minimize any effect Canada’s plan may have.

In 2020, the NWMO hosted a series of virtual and in-person workshops to gather community input into the environmental baseline monitoring program. Led by the NWMO’s environmental and engagement teams, the workshops provided valuable input to advance our understanding of the specific needs and environmental interests of many community members.

In July 2021, we partnered with the Saugeen Valley Conservation Authority (SVCA) to launch a joint program to further understand water resources in South Bruce and the surrounding area to ensure protection for generations to come. As part of this program, the SVCA will conduct surface water quality and hydrology studies on behalf of the NWMO to develop a more comprehensive assessment of portions of the Saugeen Valley watershed, specifically the Teeswater River and Beatty Saugeen River sub-watersheds. The program will characterize baseline environmental conditions by collecting monitoring data from those areas.

For more information on surface water and hydrology sampling and monitoring locations, check out the maps below.

• Proposed hydrology and meteorology monitoring locations
• Proposed surface water sampling locations (wetlands)
• Proposed surface water sampling locations (lakes and rivers)

The focus of geoscientific studies in South Bruce is to determine if the geosphere in the area has the potential to satisfy the safety requirements for a deep geological repository for the long-term management of Canada’s used nuclear fuel.

In 2021 the NWMO began borehole drilling in the Saugeen Ojibway Nation-South Bruce area. A total of two boreholes were conducted, with drilling completed in April 2022. As part of drilling best practices, the NWMO conducted testing of private water wells at and near the borehole sites.

Ultimately, the preferred site will need to meet robust technical requirements focused on safety. The implementation of the project must also foster the well-being of the area as defined by people who live there, and will need to be supported by strong partnerships. The project can only proceed with the involvement of the interested community, First Nation and Métis communities in the area, and surrounding communities.

• Initial Borehole Drilling and Testing in South Bruce
• Advancing the Site Selection Process: Identifying Areas for Sub-Surface Studies
• Possible Areas for an Initial Borehole – For Discussion With Community
• Initial Borehole Drilling and Testing in Central Huron, Huron-Kinloss and South Bruce: Draft for Discussion With Communities

In 2021 the NWMO conducted field activities to further characterize the geology in the Saugeen Ojibway Nation-South Bruce area:

• Employing micro seismic monitoring stations across the area to monitor for natural or manmade seismological shifts, such as earthquakes or the effects of borehole or well drilling;
• Installing shallow groundwater monitoring wells to study the hydrogeology of the area; and
• Conducting geophysical studies in the area to assess the suitability of the area to host a repository.

In February 2022, the NWMO introduced a program to protect the value of properties near the potential site in South Bruce for Canada’s deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel. 

The Property Value Protection (PVP) program reflects a responsible commitment to the community and addresses questions we have heard from residents about whether property values will be affected if South Bruce is selected for this project. The program was developed in consultation with the Municipality of South Bruce and works to satisfy one of the guiding principles the community set out to support local decision making about the project.

The NWMO will continue to engage with landowners in the vicinity of the potential site to be sure we are capturing their thoughts on this and other topics related to the project. 

• Property Value Protection Program
• Property Value Protection Program (Summary Version)
• Property Value Protection Program: Overview and Q&A
• Property Value Protection Program: Letter to Property Owners

In May 2024, the Municipality of South Bruce and the NWMO signed a hosting agreement that will take effect if the site in their area is selected as the location for the project. This agreement outlines the next steps in the process to select a site for the safe, long-term management of Canada’s used nuclear fuel. Its aim is to promote community well-being in accordance with South Bruce's priorities, and it reflects the 36 guiding principles established by the community and adopted by the Municipality of South Bruce Council in October 2020.

This signed agreement marks a key step ahead of the community’s decision on their willingness to proceed.