Section Synopsis
Pages: vi-viiThe NWMO's project description outlines a Deep Geological Repository (DGR) for 5.9 million used nuclear fuel bundles, located over 500 meters underground with associated surface facilities. The project scope includes a 160-year lifecycle covering construction, operation, and closure, featuring infrastructure such as a rail spur, worker camp, and rock management area, while excluding off-site transportation and corporate offices from this specific project definition.
Community Assessment Narrative
As residents of Melgund Township, living less than 10km from the Revell Site, this 'Summary Document' reads more like a sales brochure than a serious assessment of how our lives will change. The NWMO uses glossy terms like 'protective system' and 'engineered containers' to sanitize what is essentially a massive, 160-year industrial mining and nuclear waste operation in our backyard. The document conveniently excludes 'off-site transportation' from its scope, which is a blatant attempt to ignore the reality that every single one of those 5.9 million bundles must travel through our region to get to the site. For those of us in Dyment and Borups Corners, the 'primary and secondary access roads' aren't just lines on a map; they are the roads we use every day, now threatened by heavy industrial traffic and nuclear payloads.
The mention of a 'worker accommodation camp' and 'excavated rock management area' is particularly concerning. This implies a massive 'shadow population' of transient workers and a literal mountain of waste rock that will generate dust, noise, and light pollution for decades. The 160-year timeline means this isn't just a temporary project; it is a permanent transformation of Melgund from a quiet, rural community into a nuclear industrial zone. The NWMO's claim that capacity is capped at 5.9 million bundles feels like a placeholder, as 'host community approval' for future increases is a vague promise that doesn't account for the long-term political pressure to expand once the hole is already dug.
Impacts on Local Recreation: The proposed infrastructure—specifically the rail spur, transmission lines, and the sprawling 'excavated rock management area'—poses a direct threat to the crown land access we rely on. Our traditional hunting grounds and fishing spots near the Revell site will be restricted or ruined by industrial noise and security fencing. The acoustic environment, currently silent enough to hear the wind in the pines, will be shattered by blasting and heavy machinery, directly impacting the peace of the Dyment Recreation Hall and surrounding properties. Furthermore, the rail spur and new haul roads will likely sever established snowmobile and ATV trails that are the lifeblood of our local winter and summer recreation. The NWMO fails to explain how a massive worker camp won't overtax our local lakes and trails, potentially crowding out the very people who have lived here for generations.
Corrective Measures & Recommendations
The NWMO must immediately fund an independent, Melgund-specific socio-economic and environmental impact study that focuses on the 10km radius around the Revell site. This study must move beyond 'corporate speak' and provide concrete data on decibel levels at the Dyment Recreation Hall during construction and operation, as well as a detailed map of how existing ATV and snowmobile trails will be rerouted or preserved. We demand a formal 'Community Protection Agreement' that includes guaranteed funding for the Dyment Recreation Hall and local emergency services to handle the influx of the worker camp population.
Furthermore, the proponent must clarify the 'off-site' transportation exclusion. It is unacceptable to claim transportation is 'regulated separately' as a means to avoid discussing the traffic impacts on Highway 17 and local access roads. The NWMO should provide a comprehensive traffic mitigation plan that includes bypasses for residential clusters in Borups Corners and strict 'no-haul' hours to protect the safety of local school buses and residents. Transparency regarding the 'excavated rock management area' is also required, specifically regarding dust suppression and the long-term visual impact of the rock piles on our horizon.
On 16 February, 2026 the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC), with input from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), published a Summary of Issues (SOI) for the proposed Deep Geological Repository (DGR) for Canada’s Used Nuclear Fuel Project, put forward by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO). The SOI identifies the key issues that IAAC considers relevant to the federal integrated impact assessment process for the project. NWMO’s response to the SOI will assist IAAC in determining whether an impact assessment is required under section 16 of the Impact Assessment Act. If an impact assessment is required, the issues outlined in the SOI—together with NWMO’s response—will help shape the scope of the assessment and inform the continued development and finalization of the Integrated Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines and associated plans.
Alignments to IAAC Summary (SOI)
The community findings from Melgund Township demonstrate a high degree of alignment with the official IAAC Summary of Issues (SOI) published on February 16, 2026. Specifically, the Township’s concern regarding the "shadow population" and the strain of a worker accommodation camp on local services is directly reflected in the IAAC section on Infrastructure and Services, which flags the "effects of temporary workers on services and infrastructure" and potential increases in the cost of living. The community’s observation that the human environment impact for Melgund and Dyment has been overlooked validates the IAAC’s identified need for "community-led baseline data collection" under the Socio-Economic Conditions theme.
There is also a critical alignment regarding the proponent’s scoping of the project. Melgund Township’s critique of the "artificial scoping out" of off-site transportation activities is explicitly mirrored in the IAAC SOI under the Transportation heading, specifically the issue "Transportation in scope of impact assessment." Both the community and the Agency have identified the exclusion of transportation from the primary project description as a significant gap that prevents a comprehensive understanding of risks to local road safety and emergency response. Furthermore, the Township’s technical concerns regarding the "excavated rock management area" align with the IAAC’s focus on the Geochemical behaviour of rock material and the potential for "acid rock drainage and metal leaching."
A notable gap identified by the community, which provides further detail to the IAAC’s broader categories, is the specific impact on local recreation. While the IAAC mentions "Socio-economic impacts to land use," Melgund Township provides concrete examples, such as the rerouting of ATV and snowmobile trails and noise levels at the Dyment Recreation Hall. Additionally, the Township’s concern over the 160-year timeline and the stability of oversight supports the IAAC’s call for better "Monitoring and institutional control" and "intergenerational rolling stewardship." The community’s findings suggest that the proponent’s current project description lacks the granular, local data required to address the Agency’s concerns regarding "Social cohesion and community wellbeing."
Recommendations
The working group recommendations focus on moving from the proponent’s generalized "corporate" projections to site-specific, independent data. By demanding a Melgund-specific socio-economic and environmental impact study, the community aims to provide the "community-led baseline data" that the IAAC SOI identifies as a necessity. These recommendations are designed to bridge the gap between the proponent’s high-level descriptions and the practical realities of residents living within a 10km radius of the Revell site. Specifically, the call for a "Community Protection Agreement" provides a structured mechanism to address the IAAC’s concerns regarding the "distribution of economic benefits" and the "adequacy of mitigation measures" for infrastructure strain.
Furthermore, the recommendations regarding a comprehensive traffic mitigation plan and the inclusion of "off-site" transportation are essential for addressing the IAAC’s identified issues surrounding "Transportation service and infrastructure preparedness." By insisting on "no-haul" hours and bypasses for residential clusters like Borups Corners, the community is proposing concrete solutions to the "accidents and malfunctions" and "emergency preparedness" concerns flagged by the Agency. These recommendations ensure that the integrated impact assessment will not only identify risks but will be forced to adopt enforceable, local-level protections that safeguard the long-term character and safety of Melgund Township.
Key Claims
Underlying Assumptions
Critical Observations & Gaps
Analysis Table| Issue Identified | Implication | Information Required |
|---|---|---|
| The impact of the worker accommodation camp on local services and the 'shadow population' effect is not detailed. | A worker camp near a small township like Melgund can lead to 'boom-town' effects, straining local resources and changing community character. | A detailed human environment impact assessment for Melgund Township and Dyment. |
| Lack of detail on the size, height, and environmental controls for the waste rock piles. | The 'excavated rock management area' is a massive surface disturbance that can cause dust, runoff, and permanent visual scarring. | Dust management plans and leachate toxicity studies for the excavated rock. |
| Artificial scoping out of transportation activities beyond the immediate project site. | By excluding off-site transport, the NWMO avoids addressing the highest-risk activity associated with the project in the eyes of the public. | An integrated transportation risk assessment that includes local road safety and emergency response. |
| The 160-year timeline is presented as a simple fact without addressing the stability of oversight over such a long period. | 160 years is longer than the history of many local settlements; the document fails to address intergenerational equity. | A long-term governance and funding model for post-closure monitoring that involves local residents. |
Working Group Recommendations
Challenge the Proponent to demonstrate 100% emergency service self-sufficiency for the worker accommodation camp and repository site, including fire, medical, and security response.
Request a detailed management and mitigation plan for the excavated rock management area, specifically addressing dust suppression, leachate toxicity, and long-term visual impacts.
Demand the inclusion of local transportation safety—specifically school bus routes and residential access points in Borups Corners—within the project's Valued Components (VCs).
Require a comprehensive baseline study of existing recreational land use, including snowmobile/ATV trails and traditional hunting/fishing grounds within a 10km radius of the Revell site.
Establish a long-term governance and socio-economic monitoring framework that includes direct representation from the Melgund Local Services Board for the duration of the 160-year project.
Understanding the Impacts of Nuclear Waste on our Community
This digital archive houses the public comments submitted to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada regarding Project 88774: The Nuclear Waste Management Organization Deep Geological Repository (DGR) for Canada's Used Nuclear Fuel Project. The impact assessment is led jointly by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. This archive preserves community perspectives, concerns, and observations shared during the assessment process, particularly in relation to Melgund Township, Northwestern Ontario and the communities of Dyment and Borups Corners who are the closest and most impacted of all in the process.