The mayor and Council of the Canadian Township of Ignace have signed an agreement with the Nuclear Waste Management Organisation (NWMO) on the potential hosting of a deep geological repository (GDR). A Special Meeting of Ignace Council unanimously passed a resolution that allows Mayor Kim Baigrie the authority to sign an historic potential hosting agreement between the Township and the NWMO.
A statement by Ignace said the signing of the agreement “in no way, either guarantees that the Township will host a deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel, or that a decision on willingness has been made or influenced by either the signing of this agreement or by the NWMO to site the DGR project”.
The signing of this agreement is considered the next logical step in the process towards a “decision on willingness” by Ignace. The agreement “allows the Township, the Willingness Ad Hoc Committee, its residents, stakeholders, and other interested parties to consider the legal, financial, and regulatory implications as data points in moving forward with the willingness process and the determination of a final decision by Council in mid 2024”.
Mayor Kim Baigrie said: “We are proudly the first community in this willingness process to be out of the gate with NWMO by signing this historic agreement for the Township of Ignace. We certainly understand that the signing of this agreement does not mean that we are going to host a DGR or that we have decided as a community on our willingness to host a DGR. What it means is that we now have an accurate, clear, concise, and signed agreement with NWMO of the economic and social components that we must consider as we decide to move forward on willingness.”
The potential host agreement that Mayor and Council have decided to progress is the next logical step in the process of staying engaged and advancing information that will be considered in its willingness process to host the GDR. “The objective and purpose of the agreement will allow the Township to facilitate the DGR project by building capacities through, but not limited to, infrastructure growth, economic development, social and cultural enrichment, governance as well as accommodate the required tasks assigned to the Township through the regulatory process to host this project,” the statement said.
“Through a constructive and open dialogue, we have worked together to co-create an agreement with the Township of Ignace that reflects the wishes and aspirations of the community – including revitalising local investments that would create a prosperous path forward,” said Lise Morton, Vice-President of Site Selection at NWMO. “Ignace is a strong and resilient community that embodies the unique spirit of northern Ontario, and this agreement reflects that. We hope residents will review the details of the agreement and imagine what Ignace could look like in the future, full of new opportunities.”
The statement noted that there are many benefits to hosting the DGR “and these benefits will exceed the monitory value of this agreement”. The new agreement “provides more direct benefits to the community for generations through the complete life cycle of the DGR project”. It “is similar to and will replace the current Multi-Year Funding Agreement that is in now in place between the Township and NWMO and will not have to be negotiated each year as well as provides a sustainable and balanced approach to planning for the Township”.
In the northwest region, Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation (WLON) will also have its own willingness process “and the Township of Ignace respects that their decision will also be required to proceed”.
The proposed DGR will be constructed roughly 650-800 metres below ground level and encased in a natural shield of solid rock. The repository design incorporates a series of engineered barriers to ensure the fuel can be isolated safely for many thousands of years.
The site selection process began in 2010 when 22 communities expressed interest exploring their potential to host the GDR. Following years of technical assessment and community engagement, two potential sites remain in the process: one in the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation-Ignace area in northwestern Ontario and the other in the Saugeen Ojibway Nation-South Bruce area in southern Ontario.
Both potential sites are situated in stable, seismically quiet settings with rock formations of the necessary depth, breadth and volume to host the repository. In addition, the studies found no economically viable resources within the rock, such as minerals, salt or gas, reducing the possibility of human intrusion in the future.
Once a site is chosen with informed and willing hosts, additional technical studies will be conducted to provide more precise information for the repository design and formal safety case, which will be submitted to regulators. The safety of a proposed site will also be confirmed through a rigorous regulatory review of the repository design and safety case, including through the federal Impact Assessment Act process and licensing by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. The regulatory and licensing process is expected to take approximately 10 years to complete.
Image: Ignace Mayor Kim Baigrie (L) and NWMO President and CEO Laurie Swami at the signing ceremony (courtesy of NWMO)
