Understanding the Choices for Our Backyard
Hello neighbours! Here in Northwestern Ontario, we are used to the quiet beauty of our forests and lakes. However, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is moving forward with plans for the Revell Site, and their latest report on the Deep Geological Repository (DGR) suggests some big changes are on the horizon for Melgund Township, Borups Corners, and Dyment. As part of the ongoing Impact Assessment, it is time we take a closer look at what is being proposed for our neck of the woods.
What We Are Learning
The NWMO has finished what they call ‘Phase 4’ of their study. They have officially recommended ‘Adaptive Phased Management’ as the best way to handle Canada’s used nuclear fuel. According to their documents, this choice came after years of talk and is supposedly the most ‘socially acceptable’ and ‘technically sound’ option. They are now looking at the specifics—things like where to put access roads, how to get water, and where to house the hundreds of workers who would come to the area.
The Reality Check
While the reports use a lot of positive language, we need to look at the facts. What is being promised: The NWMO claims the project is ‘socially acceptable’ and based on ‘rigorous’ study. What we need to verify: We haven’t seen the actual data or metrics that prove our community—especially those of us living within 10km of the site—actually finds this acceptable. Furthermore, the ‘eight key objectives’ used to pick this plan haven’t been fully explained to us yet.
The Path Forward
The report noted a lack of specific detail regarding the scale of worker accommodation camps and the exact sources for water supply; therefore, we are calling for a transparent, comparative matrix that shows exactly how the Revell Site stacks up against other options. We need to see the specific criteria that will be used to decide where water is taken from and where it is discharged. This isn’t just about engineering; it’s about making sure our private wells and local ecosystems are protected by more than just ‘preliminary’ plans.
Why It Matters Here
For those of us in Borups Corners and Dyment, this isn’t just a technical project—it’s our home. The ‘alternative means’ mentioned in the report, like road alignments and transmission lines, could change the way we hunt, fish, and enjoy the silence of the bush. If a large accommodation camp is built nearby, it could change our local housing market and put a strain on our emergency services. We need to ensure that ‘social acceptability’ isn’t just a buzzword used in Toronto, but a reality for the people living in the shadow 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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