Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization is asking Canadians and Indigenous communities to help shape the process for choosing a site for Canada’s next deep geological repository for radioactive waste.
The organization has launched a two-year consultation to gather feedback on how it should select a location for the new facility, which would be used to safely store certain types of radioactive waste for the long term.
“This is about planning responsibly for the future,” said Laurie Swami, president and CEO of the NWMO. “Experts agree that the safest way to manage this kind of waste is by placing it deep underground in stable rock formations.”
The NWMO said the new site would store intermediate- and high-level waste — including materials from inside nuclear reactors and small amounts of radioactive byproducts from medical treatments. It could also include used fuel from new reactors built in the future.
Canada’s current storage methods are safe but temporary, and the NWMO said long-term solutions are needed to avoid passing the problem on to future generations.
The agency has already selected a site in northwestern Ontario for a separate deep geological repository to store used nuclear fuel. That project is preparing for environmental and regulatory reviews.
For this second project, the NWMO is asking for public feedback to help guide the selection process, which is expected to officially begin in 2028. Technical safety and community support will continue to be key factors, the agency said.
Joanne Jacyk, director of site selection for the new project, said early conversations with Indigenous Peoples and local communities will be a priority.
“We want to build this process on trust and transparency,” she said. “The input we receive will directly shape how we move forward.”
More information, including the NWMO’s discussion document, is available at nwmo.ca. Comments and questions can also be sent to ILW@nwmo.ca.