Assessing Baseline Data for Local and Regional Fisheries
This article is part of a series exploring the views and perspectives of youth, artists and community members working with the Melgund Integrated Nuclear Impact Assessment Project. This initiative is a climate entrepreneurship and arts-based community recreation program, developed through community consultation, engagement participation in the integrated impact assessment process for the NWMO’s proposed Deep Geological Repository for nuclear waste fuel.
What is Proposed
In Section 14.8 of the Initial Project Description, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) outlines baseline data collected regarding fish and fish habitat. Studies conducted in 2021 and 2022 utilized desktop reviews and environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling to identify 55 fish species in the regional investigation area. While the proponent acknowledges spawning areas in regional lakes, they state that, to date, no potentially important fish habitat—such as areas required for spawning, rearing, or overwintering—has been documented within the immediate Project site. The proponent suggests that while further data collection is planned, the current information is sufficient to support a risk-informed assessment of potential effects.
Underlying Assumptions
Our review of the technical submission has identified several key assumptions that underpin the proponent’s current position:
- Sufficiency of eDNA: The assessment assumes that species detection via eDNA is adequate for baseline characterization without immediate physical confirmation (ground-truthing).
- Absence of Evidence as Evidence of Absence: It is assumed that because overwintering or rearing habitats have not yet been documented in local watercourses or wetlands, they are likely not present or significant.
- Predictive Validity: The proponent assumes that preliminary data is robust enough to form early conclusions on impact significance before detailed, multi-season field verification is completed.
Community Assessment
The community review highlights specific concerns regarding the depth of the current data. A primary observation is the reliance on eDNA results (26 species detected) without concurrent physical verification, such as netting or visual identification. Without ground-truthing, there is a risk of false positives or misidentifying the ecological value of the project site. Furthermore, the apparent lack of identified overwintering or rearing habitat in local watercourses is a critical data gap. If construction proceeds based on the current “absence of evidence,” there is a tangible risk that critical habitats used during winter months or spring freshet could be inadvertently destroyed. Additionally, the current assessment lacks the integration of Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK). Excluding this knowledge base ignores historical data on fish movements and subsistence values that desktop studies and limited field windows often miss.
Path Forward
To ensure a rigorous impact assessment, our community recommends specific corrective measures. The proponent must prioritize the ground-truthing of eDNA results with traditional survey methods to confirm species presence and abundance within the local investigation area. It is also essential to conduct targeted multi-season field studies, specifically focusing on overwintering and spring-spawning activities in the unnamed watercourses and wetlands proximal to the site. Finally, the proponent should formally incorporate Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge regarding fisheries and revise any “early conclusions” on impact significance until these local, field-verified data points are fully integrated.
About the Integrated Assessment Process
The federal Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) has formally launched the integrated impact assessment process for the proposed Deep Geological Repository (DGR) for Canada’s Used Nuclear Fuel Project, a major national infrastructure initiative led by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO).
The proposed underground repository is designed to permanently contain and isolate used nuclear fuel in a secure geological formation. Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and the Township of Ignace have been selected as host communities for the project. The site is located approximately 21 kilometres southeast of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and 43 kilometres northwest of Ignace, Ontario, near Highway 17.
According to project materials, the repository would provide permanent storage for approximately 5.9 million bundles of used nuclear fuel. The full lifecycle of the project is expected to span roughly 160 years, including site preparation, construction, operations, closure, and long-term monitoring.
Integrated Federal Review
Major nuclear projects in Canada are subject to an integrated assessment process jointly led by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). This “one project, one review” approach is intended to streamline regulatory oversight while ensuring rigorous evaluation of environmental, health, social, economic, and Indigenous rights impacts.
Under this framework, IAAC oversees the impact assessment requirements under the Impact Assessment Act, while the CNSC regulates nuclear safety under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act. The CNSC will issue the initial site preparation licence and manage all subsequent nuclear licensing for the project’s duration.
The integrated assessment also includes a focus on potential impacts on Indigenous Peoples, including rights, land use, cultural practices, health, and socio-economic conditions. Where potential adverse effects are identified, the process is intended to identify mitigation measures to reduce or avoid harm.
Public Comment Period Now Open
The first public comment period for the project is currently open and will run until February 4, 2026. During this phase, the public is invited to provide feedback on the Summary of the Initial Project Description submitted by the NWMO. Submissions received during this period will inform IAAC’s summary of issues, which will guide the next stages of the impact assessment. All comments submitted become part of the public project record and are posted to the federal Impact Assessment Registry.
This plain-language summary is provided by ECO-STAR North and Art Borups Corners to support public engagement.
Disclaimer: The views and perspectives expressed in this article are solely those of the independent arts program led by ECO-STAR North and Art Borups Corners. They do not reflect the official positions of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) or the Government of Canada.
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