Is Our Region a Blank Map?
In Northwestern Ontario, we know our land better than anyone. From the quiet fishing spots to the way traffic moves through Melgund Township, we understand the rhythm of our home. However, as the Nuclear Waste Management Organization moves forward with the Impact Assessment for the Revell Site, a new report suggests that, on paper, our region is a bit of a mystery to the experts.
What We Are Learning
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization recently shared that they couldn’t find any existing regional studies or environmental assessments for the area surrounding the proposed Deep Geological Repository. The closest regional study they pointed to is in the Ring of Fire—a project over 500 kilometers away. Essentially, they are saying that because no one else has done a big-picture study of our region lately, there isn’t much data to work with.
The Reality Check
What is being promised: The proponent suggests that since no regional studies exist, they are starting from a neutral baseline.
What we need to verify: Just because a study isn’t in a federal database doesn’t mean the data doesn’t exist. We need to know if they have looked at Indigenous-led studies, local community records, or even defined what “proximity” means. Is a study 500 kilometers away really the best comparison for what happens here in Melgund Township?
The Path Forward
The report noted a significant lack of regional data; therefore, we are calling for a project-specific regional study. The “Gap” here is that without a regional view, we can’t see the “ripple effects”—like how repository traffic might combine with existing logging trucks on our roads, or how the water table connects across the township. The “Solution” is for the proponent to work directly with our local municipalities and Indigenous nations to find “grey literature” and community knowledge that isn’t in the official books. We need a bespoke study that treats Northwestern Ontario as a unique environment, not just a blank space on a map.
Why It Matters Here
For those of us in Borups Corners and Dyment, this isn’t just about paperwork. If there is no regional baseline, how can we measure if the Deep Geological Repository is changing our water, our wildlife corridors, or the quiet we moved here to enjoy? Without a regional lens, the cumulative impact of heavy-haul transport through our backyard can’t be accurately predicted. We deserve a study that looks at our whole neighborhood, not just the fence line of the Revell Site.
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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