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Alliance Takes Nuclear Waste Opposition Message to Communities Throughout Northwestern Ontario

We the Nuclear Free North, 5 August 24, Dryden

– A northern Ontario alliance opposed to plans to transport and bury nuclear waste in northwestern Ontario is taking its message to more than a dozen communities across northern Ontario this month, doing one-day stops with an information table, displays and children’s activities. 

The all-volunteer effort organized by We the Nuclear Free North began an eight-day tour on August 1st, with visits in Fort Frances, Sioux Lookout, Kenora and Vermilion Bay. Locations were organized with the respective municipalities, and selected for high visibility and pedestrian traffic. 

“The public response has been very positive”, commented Brennain Lloyd, project coordinator with Northwatch and tour organizer. 

“People are approaching the table looking for a petition to sign and ideas about how they can express their opposition to this project. Many are commenting on how they can’t believe that it has gone this far, and they feel an urgency to see it brought to a stop”.

On July 10th the Township of Ignace delivered their “willingness decision” to the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, which locked the Township into an agreement signed on March 18th, committing the current and future Township councils to supporting the project. 

“We’re spending time in communities that are downstream of the NWMO’s candidate site (between Ignace and Dryden) and along the transportation route”, explained Wendy O’Connor, a member of Nuclear Free Thunder Bay. 

“Outside of Ignace, there is real frustration with the NWMO having positioned Ignace as their proxy decision-maker, while shutting out all of the other communities that will be impacted if this project were ever to go through.”

There is broad opposition to the NWMO project from individuals, community and citizens’ groups, municipalities, and First Nations. In addition to criticism of the project itself due to the negative impacts on the environment and human health during transportation and operation and after radioactive waste abandonment, the NWMO siting process and the Township of Ignace’s approach have also been soundly criticized for being secretive, undemocratic, and lacking scientific and technical rigour.

The tour is being supported by local volunteers in each of the stops, which continues today in Sioux Lookout, followed by stops in Dryden, Wabigoon and Atikokan. A second leg of the tour will take place in late August, with stops in Wawa, White River, Marathon, Schreiber, Nipigon and Longlac.  https://wethenuclearfreenorth.ca/

August 6, 2024 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | opposition to nuclear, wastes