Community Perspectives on the Revell DGR Proposal
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 plan to construct a Deep Geological Repository (DGR) at the Revell site. As detailed in the Initial Project Description, the project aims to provide a permanent solution for approximately 5.9 million used nuclear fuel bundles. The proponent claims this project is essential for Canada’s net-zero transition, fulfills legislative requirements under the Nuclear Fuel Waste Act, and ensures intergenerational equity by moving waste from interim storage to a passive underground system overseen by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
Underlying Assumptions
- The total waste inventory will not exceed 5.9 million bundles, regardless of future reactor developments.
- The ‘Adaptive Phased Management’ approach provides sufficient safety without predefined technical or regulatory triggers.
- Northwestern Ontario communities have the existing infrastructure and labor capacity to support the project’s economic claims.
- National climate objectives justify the localized environmental and social risks borne by the immediate host region.
Community Assessment
Our assessment reveals that the NWMO’s narrative often prioritizes national moral imperatives over local technical realities. For residents of Melgund Township, Dyment, and Borups Corners, the framing of ‘protecting future generations’ appears as a rhetorical tool to justify shifting the waste burden from reactor sites to our region. The term ‘adaptive’ is particularly concerning to the community; without clear definitions, it suggests a lack of engineering certainty and potential for shifting safety protocols. Furthermore, the focus on ‘passive’ storage ignores the decades of active, high-risk transportation of hazardous materials through our local corridors. The lack of a localized socio-economic impact study means promises of jobs do not account for potential property value ‘stigma’ or the strain on our limited emergency services.
Path Forward
To ensure transparency, the proponent must provide a detailed Adaptive Management Framework that defines specific thresholds for project modification or reversal. We require a comprehensive socio-economic study specific to Northwestern Ontario to substantiate claims of local benefit and analyze infrastructure readiness. Additionally, the project’s scalability must be clarified to address waste from future nuclear technologies. Finally, a formal protocol for Indigenous consent and the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge is mandatory to ensure that engagement translates into meaningful influence over project outcomes.
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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