Citizens’ groups Northwatch, Environment North and We the Nuclear Free North, are concerned about the threat of nuclear waste transportation and burial in northern Ontario but are encouraged by the response of provincial election candidates across the region says one of the organizers.
Currently, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization has shortlisted two sites, including a location between Ignace and Dryden in Northwestern Ontario, as potential burial sites for all of Canada’s high level nuclear waste. The NWMO identifies the Township of Ignace as a potential “host” community, despite its being more than 40 kilometres from the site and in a different watershed.
See: Nuclear waste transportation flagged as a possible issue for North Bay
And: Northern city loses out on nuclear waste dump. Mayor totally bummed
"In Kenora-Rainy River, the riding that includes the site under investigation by the NWMO, the Liberal, NDP and Green Party candidates all supported downstream communities and those on the transportation route having a say in the decision, increased safety inspections for vehicles carrying radioactive waste, and a call for an audit of NWMO spending," according to a news release. "Despite several invitations to respond to the four questions, Conservative candidate Greg Rickford did not reply."
“We appreciate what a busy time this is for the candidates and their teams”, commented Brennain Lloyd, one of the organizers of the questionnaire for candidates.
“But it is notable that not a single Conservative candidate replied, including the incumbent in Kenora-Rainy River. We have heard from other candidates that this is a big issue in the riding.”
Lloyd says the New Democratic Party was the only one of the three responding parties whose candidates all answered “yes” to each of the four questions, indicating that they supported the inclusion of downstream and transportation communities in making decisions about whether a site in northern Ontario should be considered further as a nuclear waste burial site, increased safety inspections of vehicles carrying radioactive waste, a call for an audit of NWMO’s spending, and investment in conservation and renewable energy sources ahead of more nuclear investments.
"The Liberal candidates also supported the inclusion of downstream and transportation communities in making decisions about whether a site in northern Ontario should be considered further as a nuclear waste burial site and increased safety inspections of vehicles carrying radioactive waste, but one candidate was unclear about their support of the call for an audit of NWMO’s spending and several indicated that they were undecided about whether they supported Ontario investing in conservation and renewable energy ahead of experimental new nuclear reactors," added Lloyd.
"With the exception of one outlier running in Sudbury, the Green Party candidates all answered 'yes' to each of the four questions. However, the candidate running in Sudbury, Dave Robinson, broke with party policy, saying he did not support investment in energy conservation and renewables ahead of investment in experimental new nuclear technologies. Robinson was the only candidate across the four parties who did not support the inclusion of downstream and transportation communities in making decisions about whether a site in Northern Ontario should be considered further as a nuclear waste burial site."
The survey of candidates was undertaken as a collaborative effort by .
