The Nuclear Waste Management Organization is still on track to select a site for its waste repository project by the end of this year, despite lukewarm support from some First Nations near the final candidate sites. Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and Saugeen Ojibway Nation have not yet scheduled community votes related to the project, but Wabigoon Lake plans to hold a vote in the fall.
The NWMO has emphasized the importance of having host communities that are well-informed and willing to accept the project. Vince Ponka, the NWMO spokesperson, confirmed that the organization is maintaining its timeline for selecting a site by the end of the year.
Ignace, a potential host municipality in the Northwest, has already held a community vote and will report its decision to the NWMO by the end of July. South Bruce in southwestern Ontario, the other municipality in the running, will hold a referendum in October.
If the NWMO decides to build a deep geological repository (DGR) south of Highway 17 and west of Ignace, Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation would be the host First Nation. Chief Clayton Wetelainen stated that they are still working on a hosting agreement with the NWMO, which needs to be in place before a vote can take place.
Saugeen, which includes the South Bruce site in its traditional territory, is also in the process of negotiating a hosting agreement with the NWMO. A referendum for its members will be held once the First Nation feels they have received enough information from the organization.
The DGR is a proposed underground facility designed to store millions of used fuel bundles from Canada’s nuclear power plants. The NWMO’s plan is to have the repository operational at either site by around 2034, with a budget of $26 billion for a lifespan of over 100 years.
In Finland, a similar repository has been constructed, and delegations from various communities, including Ignace and Wabigoon Lake, visited the facility last year on trips funded by the NWMO. The discussions and negotiations between the NWMO and the First Nations are ongoing, and it may take a few more months to finalize hosting agreements and community votes.