$418 million for South Bruce to host nuclear waste project

Municipality of South Bruce town hall in Teeswater, Ont., seen on April 4, 2024. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)

If the Municipality of South Bruce permanently houses Canada’s used nuclear fuel, it will be paid $418 million over the next 138 years to do so.

That’s the overall financial benefit that will be paid to the municipality by the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, according to a hosting agreement released by South Bruce on Monday.

The hosting agreement lays out the financial benefits to the community and the details of how the multi billion dollar project would proceed if it were to end up being built under 1,500 acres of farmers’ fields north of Teeswater.

South Bruce, which has 5,800 residents, will decide if they want to permanently house Canada’s most radioactive waste in an underground facility during a community vote on October 28, 2024.

The only other community still in the running to host the project signed their hosting agreement with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization last month. Under that agreement, Ignace is to receive $170 million over the next 80 years.

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) plans to pick between South Bruce and Ignace by the end of the year.

South Bruce council is expected to debate, and most likely, sign their hosting agreement with the NWMO on Wednesday night.

The Saugeen Ojibway Nation, whose territory the proposed project would be built on, must also agree to be a willing host before the project could proceed.