Our Backyard or a Project Centroid?
In Northwestern Ontario, the talk of the town is the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) and their plans for the Revell Site. As we dig into the latest Impact Assessment documents, it’s clear that for those of us in Melgund Township, this isn’t just a map—it’s our home. The project is moving from a ‘maybe’ to a ‘where,’ and the ‘where’ is closer than many might think.
What We Are Learning
The NWMO has identified a specific area on Crown land, roughly 17,600 hectares in size, for the proposed Deep Geological Repository. While the documents often mention the Township of Ignace, the site is actually much closer to us: about 10 km from Borups Corners and 13 km from Dyment. Currently, the NWMO doesn’t own this land, but they have a ‘withdrawal order’ that prevents others from staking claims there while they seek a license to build.
The Reality Check
What is being promised: The NWMO states the location was selected based on ‘community willingness’ and technical suitability, suggesting a broad consensus for the project.
What we need to verify: While the Township of Ignace (43 km away) has been a primary partner, our smaller communities in Melgund Township are the ones who will live with the immediate sights and sounds of the facility. We need to ensure that ‘willingness’ includes the people living 10 km away, not just those in the larger municipal centers.
The Path Forward
The report noted that coordinates for major facilities and access roads are still ‘tentative’ and that the site overlaps with existing private land and mining claims. Therefore, we are calling for a finalized project footprint and a clear legal strategy for how private landowners will be treated. The community needs certainty, not ‘tentative’ maps, to understand how our property and local access will be affected.
Why It Matters Here
For those of us in Borups Corners and Dyment, 10 kilometers is just a short drive. This project would sit within the Wabigoon and Dryden Forest Management Units, potentially changing how we access the bush for hunting, fishing, or timber. When a project this size moves in, it doesn’t just change the map; it changes the quiet, the traffic on Highway 17, and the very character of our corner of Northwestern Ontario.
Have Your Say
This affects our future. Submit your feedback on this specific issue via our Engage page to ensure the Impact Assessment Agency hears from our community.
The Melgund Integrated Nuclear Impact Assessment Project
The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) is reviewing the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s (NWMO) proposed Deep Geological Repository (DGR) at the Revell Site, located near Ignace and Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation in Northwestern Ontario.
This major nuclear infrastructure project is undergoing a joint federal review by the IAAC and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to evaluate environmental, health, social, and Indigenous rights impacts over its projected 160-year lifecycle.
Public Feedback Open: Comments on the Initial Project Description are accepted until February 4, 2026. Submissions help shape the formal impact assessment guidelines.
This short article and summary is based on an initial analysis of a proponent’s initial project description. It does not represent, any community the NWMO or the Government of Canada. Learn more at the Melgund Integrated Nuclear Impact Assessment Project project page.
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