Ignace has elected to continue as a willing host of a proposed Deep Geological Repository for spent nuclear fuel.
At a Special Meeting on July 10, Ignace council unanimously accepted the recommendation of the Willingness Ad Hoc Committee to proceed as a willing host for the DGR. Ignace is the first community in Canada that has officially completed its willingness process and indicated that it will continue in the process to becoming a host to storing Canada’s used nuclear fuel.
The endorsement in no way guarantees that the Township will host a deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel, or that a final decision by the NWMO has been made on the location of the facility.
The NWMO decision is expected by the end of December 2024.
The endorsement was recommended by the Willingness Ad Hoc Committee, comprised of nine community residents, and co-chaired by Roger Default, who presented the recommendation to council.
The recommendation cited an online vote conducted to gauge public interest in the project. According to a press release issued by the municipality, 77.3 per cent (495 votes) voted in favour of becoming a willing host as opposed to 20.8 per cent (133 votes) who voted against. 1.9 per cent (12 votes) abstained. It’s estimated there were 1,035 eligible participants. Of those, 660 opted into the process, with 640 logging ballots.
“We are extremely confident in our recommendations to the Township of Ignace Council on the democratic process that was undertaken to bring the voice of our residents to the forefront of this important project for the community,” Dufault added. “We want to thank all of our resident participants who were engaged, became educated and registered to finally cast their vote.”
According to Mayor Kim Baigrie, the vote and committee recommendation made the choice clear for council.
“The residents of the Township of Ignace have spoken loud and clear and we fully respect their direction as a Council, and we clearly have now indicated our support through an official resolution to the NWMO based on the recommendations from our Willingness Ad Hoc Committee members,” Baigrie said.
Should Ignace be selected the municipality will receive benefits for hosting the DGR in the area. These include the direct benefits of the March 18, 2024 agreement between the Township and NWMO as well as indirect economic benefits to the community. If selected by the NWMO to host the DGR in this area, the 2024, agreement will be initiated and will provide more benefits to the community of Ignace for generations through the complete life cycle of the DGR project. The 2024 agreement will replace the current Multi-Year Funding Agreement that is in now in place between the Township and NWMO. It will not have to be negotiated each year and provides a sustainable and balanced approach to planning for the Township.
The NWMO congratulated Ignace council for choosing to move forward as a willing host.
“We congratulate the Township and residents for reaching this important step and admire the leadership, thought and care that has gone into the process and to shaping what the project could look like in their community,” said Lise Morton, Vice-President of Site Selection at the NWMO.
In the northwest region, Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation will also have its own willingness process and the Township of Ignace respects that their decision will also be required to proceed if Northwestern Ontario is selected to host the DGR. The other site being considered in South Bruce, has been undergoing a similar process over the past decade.
A summary of the recommendations from the Willingness Ad Hoc Committee, the resolution endorsed by Council, as well as access to the full With Chela Inc. report are available on the Township website.
