Digging Into the Numbers Behind the Revell Site Project
Here in Northwestern Ontario, we know that our neighbours are more than just statistics. Whether you are in Melgund Township, Borups Corners, or Dyment, our way of life is defined by the quiet, the outdoors, and our close-knit community. However, as we look at the proposed Revell Site for the Deep Geological Repository (DGR), we need to understand how the proponent sees us. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has released a baseline report intended to capture a snapshot of our health and economy before any potential construction begins. This is a critical step in the Impact Assessment process, but we need to ask: does this picture look like us?
What We Are Learning
The NWMO has submitted a preliminary report on the social, economic, and health context of our area. They gathered data from about 500 people and 70 organizations, using a cutoff date of May 2023. The report admits that it operates primarily from a “western scientific perspective” and focuses heavily on the “municipal context”—meaning towns like Ignace and Dryden. They state that this data is “comprehensive and sufficient” to move forward with licensing. Essentially, they have drawn a circle around the project and counted the people, services, and health indicators to create a baseline against which future changes will be measured.
The Reality Check
When we look closer at the documents, we see a difference between what is being promised and what the evidence shows.
- What is being promised: The NWMO claims the baseline study is robust enough to support a risk-informed assessment of the project’s impact on our lives.
- What we need to verify: The report relies on the Kenora Census Division—a massive area with 66,000 people—as a reference point. This approach, known as “spatial smoothing,” risks diluting the specific impacts on the Local Services Board of Melgund. By averaging us in with thousands of others, the acute pressures on our small population of 50 to 70 residents might appear statistically insignificant, even though they will feel very real to us.
The Path Forward
The report explicitly notes that the study focuses on “municipal contexts” and lacks precise spatial boundaries for unincorporated communities like ours. The Gap: This methodology marginalizes unincorporated areas. Treating Borups Corners and Dyment as mere coordinates without recognizing our unique governance and service limitations means the assessment may underestimate the strain on our infrastructure. The Solution: We are calling for the NWMO to conduct specific, qualitative studies focused solely on the LSB of Melgund and seasonal residents. We cannot rely on broad census data; we need a localized assessment that acknowledges we are not just a “low density” zone, but a distinct community with specific vulnerabilities.
Why It Matters Here
This isn’t just about paperwork; it is about our daily reality. The report describes our home as an area of “very low population density.” While statistically true, this language can minimize the human cost of the project. If the baseline assumes we are empty space, the Impact Assessment may fail to account for the noise, traffic, and stigma that could alter our peaceful lifestyle. Furthermore, relying on 2021 census data misses the recent economic shifts in Northwestern Ontario. If they don’t have an accurate picture of who lives here and how we use the land—from hunting to seasonal cottaging—they cannot accurately predict how the Revell Site will change it.
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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