en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) launched a public consultation in April 2026 regarding the proposed Deep Geological Repository (DGR) project. The project plans to permanently store Canada's used nuclear fuel underground in northwestern Ontario, specifically located 21 kilometers southeast of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and 43 kilometers northwest of Ignace. The public can submit comments by May 10, 2026, through the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry.
This assessment addresses the proposal from the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), the non-profit organization responsible for the long-term management of Canada's nuclear waste, established in 2002. The proposed repository would be built in stable sedimentary rock layers approximately 500 meters underground, serving as a long-term isolation solution for radioactive waste from Canadian nuclear power plants. The two regulatory agencies are conducting a joint impact assessment, meeting the requirements of both the Impact Assessment Act and the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, following the collaborative principle of "one project, one review."
Canada currently stores used nuclear fuel in temporary facilities at reactor sites across the country. According to the Canadian Nuclear Association, Canadian nuclear power plants have produced approximately 2.9 million used fuel bundles since operations began, with about 90,000 new ones added annually. After a decade-long site selection process, the NWMO selected the Ignace area in 2020, evaluating factors such as geological stability, community acceptance, and transportation logistics. Technical assessments indicate that the sedimentary rock layers at the proposed site have remained geologically stable for hundreds of millions of years.
Deep geological disposal is the internationally preferred method for managing high-level radioactive waste. Finland's Onkalo repository, which began operations in 2023, demonstrates the feasibility of this technology. Sweden has received regulatory approval for a similar facility, and countries like France, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom are also advancing related projects.
The public consultation documents include a draft Integrated Tailored Impact Statement Guidelines and a draft Public Participation Plan. Citizens can submit comments online through the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry (Reference Number 88774), or review printed copies at municipal offices and libraries in Ignace, Dryden, Sioux Lookout, and Thunder Bay. The consultation period ends on May 10, 2026, at 23:59. All submitted comments will become part of the public project record.
Information sessions have been scheduled: in-person meetings will be held from April 19 to 22 in Thunder Bay, Dryden, Ignace, and the Township of Melgund; virtual meetings will be held via Zoom on April 14 at 7:30 PM ET and April 16 at 1:00 PM ET. French-language virtual sessions can be provided upon request.
This public consultation represents the first opportunity for communities to provide formal input on the assessment framework, which will guide the environmental, health, safety, and socio-economic assessment of this nationally significant infrastructure project.
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