Evaluating the NWMO-Ignace Partnership and Local Impacts
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
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has outlined a collaborative framework with the Township of Ignace, structured around four primary pillars: municipal leadership, economic development, facility safety, and environmental protection. As detailed in the Initial Project Description, the proponent claims this partnership ensures the project contributes to local well-being and aligns with the Township’s vision for revitalization. Key claims include a commitment to transparency, the maximization of local economic benefits, and the adherence to international best practices for nuclear stewardship.
Underlying Assumptions
- The Township of Ignace is the primary and sufficient representative for all locally impacted residents.
- Ongoing dialogue and communication are adequate substitutes for definitive engineering data regarding safety design.
- The economic benefits concentrated in Ignace will naturally offset the risks and disruptions faced by the broader region.
- The ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle provides sufficient protection against chronic low-level radiological releases.
Community Assessment
Our assessment reveals a significant geographical bias that frames the project almost exclusively through its relationship with Ignace. For residents of Melgund Township, including Dyment and Borups Corners, this narrative is exclusionary. Despite being less than 10 kilometers from the Revell site, these communities are treated as secondary, creating a sacrifice zone dynamic where neighbors bear the physical risks—such as blasting and heavy construction—without the infrastructure upgrades promised to Ignace. Furthermore, the community is concerned that the reliance on vertical shafts instead of a ramp system limits emergency evacuation options. The lack of defined separation distances for concurrent blasting and waste emplacement also poses unaddressed operational risks. Finally, the focus on specific lakes ignores the hydrological connectivity of the private wells that sustain our immediate neighbors.
Path Forward
To address these gaps, the proponent must conduct and publish a formal comparative safety study regarding repository access, specifically evaluating a ramp system versus vertical shafts to address evacuation and fire safety. We also recommend the development of a clear Infrastructure and Services Roadmap that distinguishes between project-essential needs and general community revitalization. Most importantly, a transparent protocol for environmental baseline monitoring must be established, including independent third-party verification of well-water and lake samples to ensure that data collection is beyond reproach and inclusive of all impacted townships.
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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