South Bruce Council unanimously approves nuclear waste hosting agreement
On Wednesday, councillors with the Municipality of South Bruce voted on a nuclear waste hosting agreement that could change the course of their community forever.
South Bruce Council unanimously agreed to sign a hosting agreement with the Nuclear Waste Management Organization on Wednesday night.
With little deliberation, council members signed an agreement at a special council meeting that lays the ground work for what South Bruce would expect to see if they ended up being selected to host Canada’s first permanent nuclear waste facility.
“It’s something I feel like we’ve been waiting for, for a long time. It’s something we’ve been talking about for a long time, and it’s exciting to see what could potentially be in store,” said South Bruce resident, and founder of South Bruce Proud-Willing to Listen, Sheila Whytock.
The Municipality of South Bruce and the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) have spent months working on a hosting agreement that would see the municipality of 5,800 residents, paid $418 million to host Canada’s first permanent nuclear waste facility.
The proposed Deep Geological Repository would house 5.6 million used nuclear fuel bundles, buried 600 metres underground in a series of tunnels spanning 1,500 acres of farmers fields, north of Teeswater.
The project is expected to span nearly 140 years, followed by decommissioning.
“To be honest, what difference does anybody’s thoughts make now? This entire process has included secret land deals and closed meetings. The council and the Nuclear Waste Management Organization have never sought our input. They completely ignore all of our concerns,” said Michelle Stein, South Bruce resident, and co-founder of No Nuclear Waste-Protect our Waterways.
Whytock is amongst those who are excited about the project’s potential. A project worth $26 billion, that would add more than 700 jobs to the community, and is forecast to nearly double South Bruce’s annual Gross Domestic Product to $680 million.
Sign opposing plans to build a facility to house Canada’s used nuclear fuel near Teeswater, seen on April 4, 2024. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
“We’ve just recently seen the medical centre open up in town. It would be really nice to see some more helpful and encouraging things happen around here, and I think this might be a good vehicle to do it,” said Whytock.
Stein, who lives near the proposed project site, said she sees many red flags in the hosting agreement. Amongst them, a clause that states that if South Bruce declares itself a “willing host” to Canada’s most radioactive waste, they must not, “Engage in any action that could frustrate, delay or interfere with or stop the NWMO from proceeding with the project.”
“If this is such a great project for the community, why does it appear to be what looks like a gag clause in it,” saids Stein.
This fall, from Oct. 21 to 28, South Bruce residents will vote on whether they want to house Canada’s used nuclear fuel forever, or not.
As long as 50 per cent of residents cast a ballot, the vote will be binding.
“This is probably going to be town changing, probably no matter which way the vote goes, it’ll be town changing,” added Whytock.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Some structural damage' from wildfire near Fort Nelson, B.C., mayor confirms
More than one home has been damaged or lost due to a massive wildfire outside of the B.C. community of Fort Nelson, the mayor confirmed Wednesday.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver says he got a cellphone ticket for using his points app in the drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
B.C. YouTuber ordered to pay $350K for 'relentless' online defamation campaign
An 'unrepentant' YouTuber has been ordered to pay $350,000 in damages as compensation for a 'relentless' campaign of defamation waged online against a business owner and his company, the B.C. Supreme Court has ruled.
Chief says grave search at B.C. residential school brings things 'full circle'
Chief Robert Michell says relief isn't the right word to describe his reaction as the search begins for unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school he attended in northern British Columbia.
'Endless Shrimp' just one misstep for Red Lobster as it eyes bankruptcy protection
While it's unclear what these closures might mean for the 27 restaurants in Canada, Red Lobster is expected to file for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. this month.
B.C. man shot sex worker in the back during drug-fuelled birthday, court hears
A man from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been sentenced to four years behind bars after shooting a sex worker in the back during a drug-fuelled 43rd birthday.
'Inhumane conditions': 68 dogs pulled from Winnipeg home
Nearly six dozen dogs were seized from a home Wednesday morning by the Winnipeg Humane Society. It is the largest known seizure of animals in the city’s history.
Ontario's 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Of the $40-million Aiden Pleterski was handed over two years, documents show he invested just over one per cent and instead spent $15.9 million on "his personal lifestyle." The 25-year-old Oshawa, Ont. man was arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering on Tuesday.
Driver said he smoked pot oil, took medication before Florida crash that killed 8 Mexican workers
A man with a long record of dangerous driving told investigators he smoked marijuana oil and took prescription drugs hours before he sideswiped a bus, killing eight Mexican farmworkers and injuring dozens more, according to an arrest report unsealed Wednesday.