'I really hope that our connection is not complete': Could South Bruce be home to a different nuclear waste project?

In one of the biggest surprises of 2024 the community of South Bruce was not selected to host Canada’s first permanent nuclear waste storage facility.

“We had decisions in the North. We had a good site that met all of our criteria, so it made sense for us to move forward,” said Laurie Swami, CEO of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), on the day of the shocking announcement, in late November.

On November 28, Ignace was selected to permanently house a $26 billion-dollar underground facility to host 6.1 million used nuclear fuel bundles – which is considered to be Canada’s high level nuclear waste. It remains dangerously radioactive, forever.

However, the NWMO also needs to find a permanent home for 50 thousand cubic metres of intermediate level nuclear waste. Things like filters, resins, and pumps used in Canada’s nuclear industry that are still radioactive for hundreds of years, but don’t stay as dangerously radioactive for as long as the used fuel does.

Nuclear Waste Management Organization logo, June 2024 (Scott Miller/CTV News London)

Tony Zettel, who supported plans for the countries high level waste coming to South Bruce, believes burying Canada’s intermediate level nuclear waste in his region would be a fine consolation prize.

“South Bruce is an is an excellent choice for nuclear projects. We've shown that our geology is excellent for the position of the DGR (deep geological repository), and if that happens in the future, I certainly hope that we'll be in the running for it. We've shown a willingness here in the community, and, if that’s a possibility, I think we'd be receptive to it,” says Zettel.

South Bruce council, who have remained all but silent since losing out on the hundreds of jobs and billions of dollars associated with the used fuel plan, have not publicly expressed any interest in re-engaging with the NWMO, on any future projects - but the NWMO is not closing door on the possibility.

“I really hope that our connection is not complete. We have worked closely with the members of the South Bruce community. I see them as friends and family and colleagues. I think the relationship we've built, has been very positive, and I really would look forward to working with them over the long term as well. So, hopefully we're still talking and we're still participating together as new projects come along and anything else that we might need to collaborate on,” says Swami.

An intermediate level nuclear waste selection process is slated to begin in 2025. If South Bruce were to be interested, those who fought plans for Canada’s high-level waste ending up near Teeswater would certainly oppose plans for intermediate level nuclear waste too.

Bag of nuclear waste at Western Waste Storage facility, January 2019 (Source: W5)

“The NWMO is still in town, and they still own land. So, to be honest, this isn't really going to be over until that land is, you know, sold back to people within the community, and they take their offices and leave,” says co-founder of the South Bruce citizen’s group, Protect our Waterways-No Nuclear Waste, Michelle Stein.

The Saugeen Ojibway Nation, whose territory South Bruce falls within, already voted down plans to bury Canada’s low and intermediate level nuclear waste near Lake Huron in 2020. If a similar plan were to be reignited, it is expected that the indigenous nation’s approval would still be required for any such project to move forward.