The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) was honoured to join Mayor Mark Goetz and councillors for the Municipality of South Bruce as they passed the bylaw recognizing the results of the Oct. 28, 2024 community referendum. The referendum confirmed that South Bruce is willing 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.
“Thank you to everyone in South Bruce for their commitment to the community decision-making process,” said Lise Morton, Vice President, Site Selection at the Nuclear Waste Management Organization. “This project is a reflection of the time and interest the community has put in over the past 12 years.”
In addition to the Municipality of South Bruce, Saugeen Ojibway Nation (comprised of Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation and Saugeen First Nation) must demonstrate willingness in order for this site to move forward in the site selection process. The NWMO continues to work closely with Saugeen Ojibway Nation as they consider if the project is a good fit for their community.
In the other potential siting region in northwestern Ontario, the Township of Ignace confirmed its willingness to move forward in July 2024. We also continue to work with Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation as they consider the project.
In addition to working with informed and willing host communities, to select a site the NWMO must demonstrate that after extensive technical study and community engagement we have achieved the priorities identified at the outset of the site selection process: that the site can safely contain and isolate Canada’s used nuclear fuel and that Canada’s used nuclear fuel can be safely transported to the site.
Once a site is selected, the NWMO will enter a mandatory multi-year regulatory decision-making process, including an impact assessment and licence applications. Led by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, 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.