Reviewing the Path Forward and Community 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) presents the Revell Deep Geological Repository (DGR) as Canada’s permanent, responsible solution for used nuclear fuel, citing decades of scientific research and alignment with international best practices. In their Initial Project Description, the proponent acknowledges that the project will result in unavoidable changes to land use and access, specifically affecting the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation (WLON). The NWMO asserts that through environmental design and mitigation, residual risks to health, social, and economic components will be "negligible to low," while promising lasting socio-economic benefits and support for Canada’s net-zero climate goals.
Underlying Assumptions
- Perception vs. Reality: The text assumes that changes in traditional land use are largely driven by "perceptions" of radioactive contamination rather than treating these concerns as substantive socio-economic or psychological impacts.
- Predetermined Risk Levels: It is assumed that current data is sufficient to classify residual risks as "negligible to low" before the full Impact Statement and detailed modeling are completed.
- Integration of Laws: The proponent assumes that "Indigenous knowledge, values, and laws" can be effectively reflected in project implementation without currently defining the specific legal frameworks or protocols for doing so.
- Economic Certainty: There is an assumption that the project will naturally deliver "lasting benefits" such as employment and infrastructure, despite a lack of specific binding targets in the current description.
Community Assessment
Our review of the conclusions identifies several critical areas for community awareness. First, the framing of community concerns regarding contamination as "perceptions" risks dismissing valid Indigenous worldviews and may undermine trust. If the psychological burden of perceived risk alters land use, it is a tangible impact that requires mitigation, not just communication.
Furthermore, the classification of residual effects as "negligible to low" appears premature. Without the final Impact Statement, this assertion may suggest a predetermined outcome rather than a result of the assessment process. Additionally, while the commitment to reflect Indigenous laws is positive, the absence of a clear mechanism for weighing Indigenous legal orders against technical data creates uncertainty regarding how disputes will be resolved.
Path Forward
To address these findings, we recommend the following corrective measures be included in the Tailored Integrated Impact Statement Guidelines:
- Participatory Monitoring: Move beyond engagement to a participatory monitoring program where community members are trained to independently verify safety data, shifting focus from managing perceptions to building empirical trust.
- Defined Frameworks: Develop a detailed protocol for how Indigenous knowledge and laws will be weighted alongside technical data, including dispute resolution mechanisms.
- Concrete Management Plans: Create a comprehensive "Land Use and Access Management Plan" that explicitly details restricted areas and proposes concrete compensation or alternative access arrangements.
- Data Transparency: Provide the specific metrics and uncertainty ranges used to define "negligible to low risk" to ensure the assessment is evidence-based.
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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