TORONTO — Ignace is the only remaining northern Ontario community under consideration for hosting Canada's underground nuclear waste storage facility.
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization announced Tuesday it is now excluding the Manitouwadge and Hornepayne areas as candidate sites.
NWMO will focus all its research on the region around Ignace and two locations in southern Ontario–Huron-Kinloss and South Bruce.
The site selection process started in 2010 with 22 communities across the country initially participating.
Technical site evaluations and community consultations gradually shortened the list to a handful of sites.
NWMO Vice-President Mahrez Ben Belfadhel said "These are hard decisions and not made lightly, but ultimately, we are working towards identifying one area where we can implement Canada's plan to ensure the protection of both people and the environment."
According to a statement from Manitouwadge Mayor John MacEachern, residents who had hoped a nuclear waste repository would provide an economic boost for the town are disappointed in the news.
"The community has worked with the NWMO for 10 years, the partnership has been very fruitful and they have learned a lot about nuclear fuel. The community was very involved in the whole process and while they are disappointed that the community will not be moving forward they wish all the remaining communities all the best," MacEachern said.
However, Manitouwadge and other towns that have been dropped from the study–as well as nearby First Nations–are still being rewarded for their participation.
They will receive "community well-being" payments from NWMO.
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Communities no longer in the site selection process
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Well-being investment
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Constance Lake First Nation
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$700,000
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Hornepayne
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$700,000
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Manitouwadge
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$700,000
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Neighbouring and surrounding communities no longer in the site selection process
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Well-being investment
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Chapleau Cree First Nation
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$350,000
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Ginoogaming First Nation
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$350,000
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Missanabie Cree First Nation
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$350,000
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Communities no longer in the site selection process that exited in 2017, but continued as a neighbouring community
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Well-being investment
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White River
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$600,000
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Recently engaged communities
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Well-being investment
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Long Lake #58 First Nation
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$200,000
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Indigenous organizations
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Well-being investment
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Red Sky Métis Independent Nation
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$200,000
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The organization has drilled three boreholes at its research site about 35 kilometres west of Ignace, and plans to drill three more.
The final site selection is scheduled for 2023, with construction of a storage facility expected to take another 10 years.
