Enabling Long-Term Energy Stewardship: Host Community Comments on the Initial Project Description

On behalf of the Mayor, Council, and residents of the Township of Ignace, these comments accompany and formally submit the Township’s additional comments on the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s (NWMO) Initial Project Description (IPD) for the proposed Deep Geological Repository (DGR) in the Revell Lake area.

The Township of Ignace is a willing and informed host community and has been an active participant in the DGR site selection and planning process for more than fifteen years. This submission reflects that longstanding engagement, as well as extensive review by Council, senior municipal staff, and the Township’s municipal peer review advisors. It is provided in the spirit of constructive collaboration and is intended to support a rigorous, evidence-based, and forward-looking impact assessment process.

Ignace has expressed, and continues to express, strong and enduring support for the Revell Site as the preferred location for Canada’s Deep Geological Repository. This support is grounded in a clear community mandate, demonstrated through a robust deliberative democratic process, and in a shared understanding of the national importance of safely and permanently managing used nuclear fuel.

The Township views the DGR as essential enabling infrastructure for Canada’s long-term energy and economic development. As energy demand continues to grow—driven by electrification, industrial expansion, economic growth, and the rapid emergence of energy-intensive technologies—the need for a secure, durable solution for the long-term management of used nuclear fuel becomes increasingly critical. In this context, the Project supports the continued development of reliable energy systems that underpin regional growth, provincial energy security, and national competitiveness, making it vital not only to the region, but to the Province of Ontario and to Canada as a whole.

The attached submission builds upon the Township’s previous engagement on draft iterations of the IPD and focuses on recommendations to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission regarding the appropriate scope, framing, and objectives of the integrated impact assessment and licensing review. 

The Township of Ignace is proud to stand alongside its partners at NWMO in assisting with the development of a credible, long-term solution for Canada’s used nuclear fuel. We view our role as part of a broader commitment to responsible energy stewardship—one that supports regional resilience, provincial energy security, and national sustainability objectives, while upholding the highest standards of safety, science, and intergenerational responsibility.

As the Agency proceeds with its review of the Initial Project Description and the development of Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines, the Township of Ignace reiterates its full support for advancing the Project into the federal impact assessment process. We remain committed to transparency, cooperation, and a review process that is commensurate with the scale, longevity, and significance of the proposed facility.

Thank you for your consideration of the Township’s submission.