Section Synopsis
Pages: ix-xiiThe NWMO's Initial Project Description outlines the environmental and socio-economic screening for the Revell Site DGR. It claims that through extensive site characterization and the application of standard mitigation measures—such as dust control, noise barriers, and water treatment—the likelihood of significant adverse environmental effects is low. The document highlights the Ignace Hosting Agreement as a model for positive community outcomes and notes that while land access will be restricted for safety, further engagement will address Indigenous rights and community land use. It also introduces the concept of a 'dry' worker accommodation camp and promises ongoing monitoring throughout the project's lifecycle.
Community Assessment Narrative
As residents of Melgund Township, living less than 10km from the proposed Revell Site, we see right through the 'glossy' generalizations in this summary. The NWMO uses comforting corporate speak like 'pathways-of-change screening' and 'sufficiently advanced' data to mask the reality of turning our quiet backyard into a massive industrial zone. They claim the risk of adverse effects is 'low,' but this is based on their own internal confidence, not the lived experience of those of us who will hear the blasting and see the dust every single day. The document leans heavily on the 'Ignace Hosting Agreement' as a success story, but Ignace is 40km away; we are the ones on the front lines in Dyment and Borups Corners, yet our specific township's concerns are buried under regional generalities.
Impacts on Local Recreation: The admission that there will be 'unavoidable changes' and 'restrictions on access' is a major red flag for our way of life. The Revell area is not just 'land'; it is where we hunt, fish, and run our ATVs and snowmobiles. The NWMO mentions 'perception' as a factor in land use, which is a condescending way of saying people will be afraid of the stigma of nuclear waste. We are deeply concerned that the influx of workers and the 'dry' accommodation camp will overwhelm our local spaces. Specifically, the Dyment Recreation Hall, which serves as our community's heartbeat, risks being sidelined or its quiet character destroyed by the massive increase in industrial traffic and the presence of a transient workforce that has no stake in our long-term community health. If our trails are cut off and our hunting grounds are restricted for 'security reasons,' the soul of Melgund Township is at stake.
The document's reliance on 'proven environmental protection measures' from other projects is marketing fluff that ignores the unique fractured rock and water systems of the Revell site. They talk about 'seasonal clearing restrictions' as if that makes up for the permanent loss of habitat and the visual blight of a repository. For those of us in Borups Corners, 'limited work hours' for noise management is a cold comfort when the baseline of our lives is total silence. This summary feels like a sales pitch designed to minimize our fears rather than a technical document meant to address them.
Corrective Measures & Recommendations
The NWMO must move beyond the 'Ignace-centric' model and establish a formal Melgund-Borups Corners Impact Committee. This committee should have the power to veto specific 'security' restrictions that would cut off traditional ATV and snowmobile trail networks. We demand a specific, legally binding 'Recreation and Access Guarantee' that ensures no net loss of recreational land. If a trail is closed due to the DGR footprint, the NWMO must fund and construct an equivalent or better trail elsewhere in the township, as determined by local users, not corporate planners.
Furthermore, the NWMO must provide a dedicated endowment fund for the Dyment Recreation Hall to ensure it can withstand the social pressures of the project. This should include funding for physical upgrades and a 'Community Character' grant to offset the industrialization of our township. We also require a real-time, independent noise and air quality monitoring station located directly within Borups Corners, with the data made publicly available on a live dashboard, so we don't have to take the NWMO's word that their 'mitigation' is working.
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 show a high degree of alignment with the "Health, Social, and Economic Conditions" section of the IAAC Summary of Issues (SOI), particularly regarding the inequitable distribution of project impacts. Melgund’s observation that the NWMO relies too heavily on the Ignace Hosting Agreement as a proxy for regional acceptance is directly validated by the IAAC’s theme of "Distribution of economic benefits for all regional communities." The Agency specifically flags concerns that benefits may not be shared with communities outside of formal hosting agreement areas, supporting Melgund’s demand for a township-specific socio-economic impact assessment and benefit agreement to offset the "burden" of being a neighbor to the Revell Site.
Regarding land use and recreation, there is a strong correlation between Melgund’s concerns over the exclusion zone and the IAAC’s section on "Socio-economic impacts to land use." While the IAAC broadly lists impacts on "recreation, tourism, fishing, hunting... and existing roads," Melgund’s analysis provides a necessary local granularity by identifying specific threats to the ATV and snowmobile trail networks and the permanent loss of food security for Borups Corners residents. Melgund’s recommendation for a "Recreation and Access Guarantee" serves as a concrete policy solution to the broader issue of "long-term access conditions" identified in the IAAC’s "Monitoring and institutional control" section.
A significant alignment exists concerning the influx of temporary workers. Melgund’s concern that a "dry" camp will still strain local social dynamics and the Dyment Recreation Hall is mirrored in the IAAC’s focus on "Effects of temporary workers on services and infrastructure" and "Social cohesion and community wellbeing." The IAAC’s mention of "increased risks to vulnerable populations" and "pressure on services" validates Melgund’s observation that the social management plan must extend beyond the project gates to protect the character and resources of small nearby settlements.
Finally, Melgund’s demand for an independent monitoring station in Borups Corners directly supports the IAAC’s recommendation in Annex A regarding "Monitoring of effects during construction and operation." The Agency specifically notes the public’s request for monitoring air, water, and soil impacts from blasting for "communities close by." Melgund’s finding that NWMO’s current mitigation strategies are "vague" and lack "decibel targets" highlights a critical gap in the Proponent’s current submission that the IAAC has flagged as a requirement for further information on the "effectiveness of proposed mitigation measures."
Key Claims
Underlying Assumptions
Critical Observations & Gaps
Analysis Table| Issue Identified | Implication | Information Required |
|---|---|---|
| Over-reliance on the Ignace Hosting Agreement as a proxy for regional acceptance. | Melgund residents may face the 'burden' of the project (noise, traffic, camp) without the 'benefits' negotiated by the City of Ignace. | A Melgund-specific socio-economic impact assessment and benefit agreement. |
| Vague mitigation strategies like 'temporary barriers' and 'limited work hours' lack specific decibel targets or schedules. | Local residents in Borups Corners are within the immediate 'noise and dust' radius of blasting and excavation. | Specific noise and dust modeling data for the nearest residential receptors in Melgund. |
| The impact of the worker camp on the Dyment Recreation Hall and local social dynamics is ignored. | The 'dry' camp status doesn't prevent workers from seeking recreation or alcohol in nearby small communities, potentially straining local resources. | A social management plan specifically for the Melgund/Dyment area regarding the transient workforce. |
| Dismissal of land use changes as 'perception' or 'safety/security' without defining the geographic extent of the exclusion zone. | Loss of access to the Revell site for hunting and fishing is a permanent loss of heritage and food security for locals. | A detailed map of the proposed exclusion zones and a plan for maintaining recreational connectivity. |
Working Group Recommendations
Challenge the Proponent to demonstrate 100% self-sufficiency for emergency medical, fire, and security response at the Revell Site and the proposed worker accommodation camp.
Request site-specific noise, vibration, and air quality modeling data specifically for the residential receptors located in Borups Corners and Dyment.
Mandate a dedicated socio-economic impact assessment for Melgund Township that is distinct from the Ignace Area Community Well-Being Studies.
Define the geographic extent of proposed 'restrictions on access' and develop a legally binding 'Recreation and Access Guarantee' for local trail networks.
Require a detailed groundwater protection and monitoring plan that specifically addresses the risk to private residential wells in the Melgund area.
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.