Section Synopsis
Pages: 4-12This document outlines the NWMO's framework for Indigenous engagement regarding the Revell Site Deep Geological Repository (DGR). It highlights a twenty-year history of dialogue, culminating in a 2024 Hosting Agreement with the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation (WLON). The text details various 'Learn More' agreements with other First Nations and Métis groups, the role of the Council of Elders and Youth, and the integration of Indigenous Knowledge alongside western science. It also summarizes key concerns raised during engagement, such as water protection, land access, and socio-economic benefits, while outlining plans for future participation in the regulatory and impact assessment phases.
Community Assessment Narrative
The NWMO uses highly polished language like 'Reconciliation Journey' and 'uplifting Indigenous voices' to frame what is, at its core, a massive industrial project. For those of us in Melgund Township, living less than 10km from the Revell site, this 'glossy' narrative feels like it is designed to smooth over the harsh realities of hosting a nuclear waste dump. While the document focuses heavily on the Hosting Agreement with WLON, it glosses over the physical reality of the 'worker accommodation camps' and 'fire protection systems' mentioned. For a small community like Dyment or Borups Corners, these aren't just 'infrastructure'—they represent a massive influx of people and a permanent shift from a quiet, rural lifestyle to an industrial zone. The term 'Adaptive Phased Management' is corporate-speak for 'making it up as we go,' which provides little comfort to those of us whose property values and peace of mind are on the line.
Impacts on Local Recreation: The document explicitly mentions 'habitat disturbance' and 'loss of access to lands used for traditional practices.' For Melgund residents, this is a direct threat to our way of life. The Revell site area is a primary corridor for our snowmobiling and ATV trails, and it serves as vital hunting and fishing grounds for locals. If the NWMO restricts access for 'security' or 'safety' reasons, they are effectively cutting off our backyard. Furthermore, the mention of 'worker accommodation camps' suggests a transient population that could overwhelm local recreational spots and put undue pressure on the Dyment Recreation Hall, which serves as our primary community hub. We fear our quiet camping spots and the acoustic environment of our forests will be replaced by the constant hum of machinery and the traffic of hundreds of workers who have no long-term stake in our township.
Corrective Measures & Recommendations
The NWMO must immediately fund a Melgund-specific 'Local Life Impact Study' that focuses on the residents of Dyment and Borups Corners. This study should not be lumped in with Ignace or Wabigoon; it needs to address the specific noise, light pollution, and traffic impacts on the households closest to the Revell site. We need a written guarantee that local access to existing ATV and snowmobile trails will be maintained or that equivalent new trails will be constructed at the proponent's expense before any construction begins.
Furthermore, the NWMO should provide a direct 'Community Vitality Fund' specifically for the Dyment Recreation Hall and Melgund Township services. If our small community is to host the infrastructure for thousands of workers and millions of tons of excavated rock, we require more than 'dialogue.' We need tangible investments in our local volunteer fire services and community infrastructure to handle the increased population and the stigma associated with being the 'nuclear township.'
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)
Melgund Township’s community findings show a high degree of alignment with the IAAC Summary of Issues (SOI), particularly regarding the socio-economic and infrastructure pressures faced by small, rural communities. The community’s concern regarding "worker accommodation camps" and the resulting strain on local volunteer resources is directly validated by the IAAC under the Infrastructure and Services theme, which flags the "effects of temporary workers on local services" and the "adequacy of mitigation measures." Furthermore, the Township’s specific fear that volunteer fire services will be overwhelmed is echoed in the IAAC’s Emergency Preparedness section, which highlights the need for funding and development of emergency response plans specifically for "rural settings" and "impacted communities."
There is a critical alignment regarding the "funding gap" identified by Melgund residents. The community’s observation that unincorporated townships are excluded from hosting agreements while bearing the brunt of project impacts (traffic, noise, and stigma) is strongly supported by the IAAC’s section on Distribution of economic benefits for all regional communities. The Agency specifically notes concerns that benefits may not be equitably shared with communities "outside hosting agreement areas." This validates Melgund’s recommendation for a direct "Community Vitality Fund" and suggests that the proponent must address the Township’s status as a non-host that nonetheless functions as a primary site for infrastructure and rock management.
A minor gap exists in the level of granularity regarding environmental and land-use impacts. While the IAAC SOI mentions Socio-economic impacts to land use (including recreation and existing roads) and Monitoring of effects during construction (Annex A), Melgund’s findings are more site-specific. The community explicitly identifies "excavated rock management" as a primary source of dust and noise for immediate neighbors and demands a "Local Life Impact Study" for Dyment and Borups Corners. While the IAAC’s broad categories cover these issues, Melgund’s analysis provides the specific geographic context—such as the protection of the Dyment Recreation Hall and local ATV/snowmobile trails—that the proponent will need to address to satisfy the Agency’s requirement for "community-led baseline data collection" mentioned under Socio-Economic Conditions.
Key Claims
Underlying Assumptions
Critical Observations & Gaps
Analysis Table| Issue Identified | Implication | Information Required |
|---|---|---|
| Mention of 'worker accommodation camps' without a population cap or social impact plan. | A large camp near Melgund could lead to increased emergency calls and strain on local volunteer resources. | A detailed human-environment management plan for the transient workforce. |
| The document mentions 'management of excavated rock' as a priority for WLON but not for the immediate neighbors. | Melgund residents will be the first to experience dust and noise from rock management. | Specific dust and noise mitigation protocols for the Revell site perimeter. |
| Funding and agreements are focused on First Nations and 'host' municipalities, leaving unincorporated townships in a gap. | Melgund may bear the costs of the project (traffic, noise) without seeing the 'millions of dollars' in investment mentioned. | A formal benefit agreement for Melgund Township/Dyment residents. |
Working Group Recommendations
Challenge the Proponent to demonstrate 100% self-sufficiency regarding the "fire protection systems" and emergency response for the proposed "worker accommodation camps" mentioned in Section 4.2.2.
Request detailed mitigation strategies for the "management of excavated rock" referenced in Section 4.2.2, specifically regarding dust generation and surface water runoff.
Require the inclusion of water bodies within Melgund Township in the "safeguarding of water" and "interconnected systems of water" baseline studies mentioned in the Reconciliation Journey section.
Quantify the impact of "loss of access to lands" and "habitat disturbance" (Section 4.2.1) on the recreational and subsistence activities of Melgund Township residents.
Assess the social and safety impacts of the "worker accommodation camps" (Section 4.2.2) specifically on the residents of Dyment and Borups Corners.
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.