Dear Editor,
The Deep Geological Repository (DGR) for spent nuclear fuel will not be built in South Bruce. The decision has been made and it’s time for our community to come back together. For those who haven’t been following closely, here’s a synopsis and a few closing reflections. In October, South Bruce held a referendum on the issue, and the people voted in favour of hosting the DGR by a narrow margin, and with nearly 70% voter turnout, the vote was legally binding on Council. So far so good for the DGR.
All eyes then turned to the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON), who’s consent was necessary for the project to move forward. SON had not committed to meeting the NWMO’s self-imposed deadline for a decision, but by all appearances, SON leadership was working hard to get a decision from its members. Meanwhile, in Ignace Township, the other potential site in Canada, both the municipality and the local Indigenous Community (Wabagoon Lake First Nation), had already voted in favour of proceeding.
Of the two possible locations, most industry insiders considered South Bruce the preferred option. The bedrock in both locations is considered ideal, but South Bruce is much closer to Ontario’s nuclear stations, where most of the waste is stored. Additionally, Bruce County is rich in nuclear power talent, and is in reasonable commuting distance from the GTA, a major source of expert personnel. Ignace, being 3 hours Northwest of Thunder Bay, is more than a bit out of the way. Many observers expected the NWMO to relax their deadline and let the SON decision play out before making a decision, but the first week of December, the NWMO shocked everyone by announcing Ignace as the chosen site, leaving SON in the lurch, and slamming shut the DGR opportunity in South Bruce.
Personally, after spending most of my career advocating for the nuclear industry, and nearly 5 years trying to help my community understand the DGR, I’m very disappointed by the decision. The project would have brought 700 long-term, high-paying jobs to our area, fully funded by the nuclear industry, and a similar opportunity is not likely to come to our community in my lifetime.
I’ve heard many people complain that the DGR debate has divided our community. I’m sure there are some hard feelings, but I’ve talked to a lot of people on both sides of the debate. In my opinion, most of us agree on the fundamentals, and the key to moving forward is to focus on those things:
1. Most people, even anti-nuclear activists, agree that we should do something more permanent with our spent nuclear fuel, like move it away from the lakeshore and into a permanent, secure storage location.
2. Most people appreciate the abundant, stable supply of electricity we enjoy in Ontario.
3. Most people agree that nuclear power is a vital part of the energy supply mix, producing nearly 60% of Ontario’s electricity, without greenhouse gas emissions.
4. Most people want to see a vibrant economy and job opportunities for our children and grandchildren.
5. Most people agree that South Bruce is a wonderful place to live, and we want to preserve our community spirit and rural way of life.
6. Most people agree that we should take care of each other, and take care of our environment.
The DGR debate is over, and the opportunity is gone. Now it’s time to take down the signs, stop arguing and come together as neighbours who agree on the important things.
Sincerely,
Tony Zettel, RR5 Mildmay
