Reviewing Section 15: Health Conditions and Social Determinants
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 the Initial Project Description, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) outlines the baseline health and social conditions for Ignace, the Dryden Health Hub, and the Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) catchment area. The report covers health outcomes such as chronic disease, mental health, and mortality, alongside social determinants like income, education, and housing. The proponent asserts that the current baseline data is sufficient and comprehensive to support a risk-informed assessment for non-Indigenous peoples and has stated that no further work is planned for health outcomes baseline characterization at this stage.
Underlying Assumptions
Our review identified several key assumptions underpinning the proponent’s approach:
- Sufficiency of Aggregated Data: The assumption that regional data (NWHU level) adequately reflects specific local risks, despite data suppression in smaller communities.
- Stability of Health Indicators: The assumption that current health outcome data is sufficient to predict impacts without establishing a more granular, longitudinal monitoring program prior to project commencement.
- Deferred Analysis: The assumption that critical gaps regarding gender-based violence and disaggregated Indigenous data can be addressed in future phases without compromising the validity of early impact conclusions.
Community Assessment
The community analysis highlights significant concerns regarding the granularity and inclusivity of the data. While the report notes health disparities—such as lower life expectancy and higher rates of chronic disease—the reliance on aggregated data masks specific vulnerabilities.
Technical and Social Observations:
- Data Suppression: In small communities, data suppression protects privacy but also hides specific health clusters. This makes it difficult to identify pre-existing conditions that could be exacerbated by project activities.
- Gender-Based Violence (GBV): The absence of disaggregated data on GBV is a critical oversight. Without a baseline on community safety, it is impossible to accurately assess the risks associated with the influx of a large, temporary workforce.
- Socio-Economic Resilience: High rates of poor housing quality and low income levels suggest that parts of the community have low resilience to potential project-induced inflation or housing shortages.
- Indigenous Data Sovereignty: Aggregating Indigenous data into regional statistics fails to respect the distinct rights and health profiles of individual First Nations and Métis communities.
Path Forward
To ensure a robust and ethical assessment, the following corrective measures are recommended:
- Expand Baseline Work: The proponent should reconsider the decision to cease health outcome baseline work. A localized, longitudinal health monitoring program must be established specifically for Ignace and surrounding areas to distinguish project impacts from pre-existing conditions.
- Prioritize Missing Data: Immediate collection of disaggregated data for Indigenous communities and statistics on gender-based violence is required before the Impact Statement is finalized.
- Integrate Knowledge Systems: Future studies should integrate Traditional Knowledge with clinical health data through collaborative partnerships with First Nations and Métis health authorities.
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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