The deep geological repository being proposed in the Ignace area by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization

Hello.

I’m sorry, I don’t care how safe you say this repository is going to be, I don’t trust it.  More specifically, I don't trust the safety of transporting nuclear waste over 1,607 km from southern Ontario to northwestern Ontario.  We don’t need to be a scientist to know that spent nuclear waste should be stored in an area as close as possible to where this waste is created.  Hence, southern Ontario.

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The whole selection process of for possible sites was suspect from the beginning.

The NWMO made alluring inducements to the final two potential host communities - South Bruce and Ignace.

1. "If the Township of Ignace declares itself not willing, the exit payment would be $5 million."
2. "If South Bruce is willing but not selected, it is to receive $8 million; Ignace would receive the same amount if willing but not selected."

Therefore, how can it be surprising that council for the Township of Ignace would remain in the selection process? It is not surprising.  It was predictable. We can thank NWMO for their part in this.

Whether or not Ignace was selected as a host community, they just had to remain in the selection pool until December 31, 2024, or when NWMO selected a host community. Once Ignace and South Bruce agreed to remain in the selection process, they would receive an additional $3 million once a host site had been selected. Not bad compensation for continuing to remain in the selection process.

I wonder if the roles were reversed with respect to communities having to place bids to be a host community, rather than receiving compensation, would they have been as eager to become the host community?

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So much has gone into enticing the residents of Ignace into becoming the host community.

In the fall of 2025, representatives of the Ignace area were flown to Finland to tour the world's first underground used nuclear fuel storage facility.

Finland’s Onkalo repository, located on Olkiluoto Island, is the world's first permanent deep geological repository for spent nuclear fuel, expected to be fully operational by 2025–2026.

So they toured a repository that is not even operational.  It does not have any results that prove its safety or how well it works.

And Finland's Onkalo spent nuclear fuel repository is located extremely close to its nuclear power plants, situated directly on the Olkiluoto Island (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onkalo_spent_nuclear_fuel_repository) in Eurajoki, approximately five kilometers from the operating reactors!!!!!!!!

5 km!!!!!!

That is quite different from what is being proposed for Ignace.

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The number of collisions on Highways 11 and 17 create concern for some who live along a potential transportation route for nuclear waste.

Area farmers, rural volunteer firefighters, Indigenous leaders and resort owners have said the prospect of radioactive fuel rods being driven down routes known for deadly crashes is troubling.

The transportation piece is the weak link.  Too many commercial truck drivers are poorly trained and supervised.

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has selected for its future underground storage facility a location about 30 kilometres west of Ignace over another candidate site in southwestern Ontario.

Spent fuel rods from nuclear reactors are to be stored at the site after being transported there by truck or rail in specialized containers.

If the rods are moved by truck, a NWMO spokesman said, “it would mean two to three shipments a day, approximately nine months of the year.”

Really???!!!

Have you checked the number of fatalities, accidents and road closures from southern Ontario to Ignace this past year?  Regardless of winter conditions, we had numerous accidents and road closures this past summer and fall.

And you expect to transport nuclear waste safely from southern Ontario to northwestern Ontario, a distance of over 1,607 kilometres???!!!!

The nuclear waste will be passing by forests, lakes, rivers, communities and cities.  This will be affecting our lives and our grandchildren's lives for decades to come. 

The transport of extremely dangerous nuclear waste and its disposal within our watershed will do irreparable destruction to our lands, rivers, and our way of life.

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I am strongly opposed to this proposed repository for approximately 5.9 million bundles of used nuclear fuel from Canada’s nuclear power plants at a site near Revell Lake between Ignace and Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation south of Highway 17.  It needs to be a lot closer to the nuclear power plants, just as Finland’s Onkalo repository is.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on your proposal.  I do hope that you will take this to heart and reconsider your plans for this project.