Who Else Calls the Revell Site Home?
Living here in Northwestern Ontario, specifically around Melgund Township, Borups Corners, and Dyment, we know our woods are teeming with life. It is part of why we live here. As the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) advances its plans for a Deep Geological Repository at the Revell Site, a critical question arises: exactly which creatures share this land, and how will they be protected? The latest Impact Assessment documents provide a snapshot of the “Species at Risk” (SAR) in our backyard—but a closer look suggests the picture might be incomplete.
What We Are Learning
The NWMO has been conducting baseline studies using a mix of existing records, audio monitoring, and DNA testing of water samples. So far, they have confirmed the presence of several protected species near the project site. This includes two types of bats (Little Brown Myotis and Northern Myotis), the Snapping Turtle, and eleven bird species such as the Whip-poor-will and Barn Swallow.
However, the report also notes what they didn’t include. They have excluded Woodland Caribou and Wolverine from their detailed studies because the project site is roughly 60–80 km away from their “regulated habitat ranges.” Additionally, their water testing picked up DNA traces of the American Eel—a surprising find for this area—which the proponent is currently treating as a potential error or anomaly.
The Reality Check
When we compare the official claims against the evidence, we see a few areas where our community needs to ask harder questions.
- What is being promised: The NWMO claims their data is “sufficiently advanced” to assess risks, even though they admit they still need more field studies to confirm where animals are breeding.
- What we need to verify: It is difficult to accept that an assessment is ready when the proponent admits they haven’t finished verifying which species are actually raising families on the site. You cannot accurately calculate risk if the baseline data is still under construction.
- What is being promised: The report relies on “opportunistic identification” of wildlife habitats—meaning they record what they happen to see while doing other work.
- What we need to verify: “Opportunistic” isn’t enough for a project this big. We need to know if critical habitats are being missed simply because no one was looking in that specific spot at the right time.
The Path Forward
To ensure the safety of our local ecosystem, we need to close the gaps between the current observations and rigorous science.
The Gap: The report relies on “opportunistic” sightings to identify Significant Wildlife Habitat, which risks destroying dens or nests that weren’t stumbled upon by chance.
The Solution: We are calling for a systematic, grid-based survey methodology. We need a dedicated search, not just a casual observation, to ensure no hibernacula or nesting sites are bulldozed during construction.
The Gap: The exclusion of Woodland Caribou and Wolverine based on a distance of 60-80 km ignores how far these animals travel.
The Solution: Instead of drawing a line on a map and saying “safe,” the NWMO must conduct a connectivity analysis. We need to know if the Revell Site acts as a movement corridor and how increased highway traffic and industrial noise will affect these wide-ranging species.
The Gap: The dismissal of American Eel DNA results as “uncertain.”
The Solution: If the DNA is there, the species might be too. Immediate, traditional netting or electrofishing is required to confirm this. We cannot dismiss a critically endangered species just because its presence is inconvenient.
Why It Matters Here
For residents of Dyment and Borups Corners, this isn’t just about paperwork; it’s about our lifestyle. Many of us hunt, fish, and rely on the health of this land. If the Impact Assessment fails to identify a species now, there will be no protections in place when the heavy machinery arrives. Excluding species because they are “too far away” or dismissing DNA evidence creates a slippery slope where the industrialization of our woods is justified by incomplete science.
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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