Understanding the Ground Beneath Us at the Revell Site
As we look out over Northwestern Ontario, the proposed Deep Geological Repository at the Revell Site feels closer than ever. For those of us in Melgund Township, Borups Corners, and Dyment, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has released new details in their Impact Assessment documents about the rocks and weather that define our home.
What We Are Learning
The NWMO has been studying the area since 2010. They have drilled six deep boreholes, flown geophysical surveys to map the ground, and checked on local wildlife. They suggest they have enough information to move forward with their plans, even though they admit more testing is still to come to fully understand the site’s characteristics.
The Reality Check
What is being promised: The NWMO claims the site is “fundamentally suitable” to safely hold nuclear waste based on their current research and “technically rigorous” field programs.
What we need to verify: With only six boreholes across a massive area, can we be sure the rock is as solid as they say? Furthermore, they are currently using weather data from the Dryden airport—over 50 kilometers away—to predict our local winds and snow patterns at the site.
The Path Forward
The report noted a heavy reliance on distant weather stations rather than on-site data; therefore, we are calling for the immediate reporting of data from local monitoring stations at the Revell Site to capture our specific micro-climate. The report also mentioned collaboration with neighbors, but it lacked specific details on how that input changed the project. We are asking for a detailed “Uncertainty Registry” that explicitly lists what is still unknown about the geology and how those gaps will be filled before any licenses are granted.
Why It Matters Here
For us in Dyment and Borups Corners, “close enough” isn’t good enough when it comes to the environment. If the wind patterns or groundwater flows aren’t perfectly understood, it affects our fishing spots, our wells, and the quiet safety of our woods. We aren’t just a coordinate on a map; we are a community that relies on the integrity of this land.
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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