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Willingness study to begin soon in Ignace

Engagement program gearing up to study the town of Ignace’s willingness to host a deep geological repository.
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Ignace's exploration event allows residents to learn more about Nuclear energy and the Deep Geological Repository. (Photo courtesy of NWMO)

IGNACE — The community engagement process as part of selecting a site for nuclear waste burial will take a next step in the coming months.

The Township of Ignace will be engaging with an exteral consultant in an attempt to gauge the residents' willingness to participate in being the host site for Canada’s deep geological repository.

As part of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s adaptive phase management process, a willingness study must be conducted to know how the residents of Ignace feel about the project.

Ignace is one of two remaining potential sites, along with South Bruce in southwestern Ontario.

In the lead-up to the willingness study, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization and the municipality have been attempting to release information to the residents of Ignace about the project and used nuclear fuel so they can make an informed decision.  

Now that the information is accessible through the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s Learn More Centre and the Ignace Community Nuclear Liaison Committee, lead facilitator Chela Breckon and her team will soon be going door-to-door gathering information from the public.

Brackon said in an interview that she will take an unfiltered approach when speaking with the public at events and door-to-door interviews.

“Our hashtag is the team is team neutral. We are absolutely not here to influence and we want to see that true representation of the voice of the community in our reporting,” Brackon said.

She said her approach to the willingness study will be community-oriented, and is mindful that not everyone will want to openly participate in the study and there is a chance some people will perceive her engagement with biased opposition.

Nevertheless, Brackon is tasked with ensuring the interviews are conducted with the person's comfort and safety in mind.

“That's why we're making it a dynamic program. If you want to have a private conversation with us, we can do that. We can ensure that the safety or the trust to be able to share your opinion without anyone ever knowing what it is can be done. The protocols we've set up and the opportunities to engage include those options. Even if you have a very private perspective, we would love for you to reach out to us and engage so that we can capture it in a way that feels comfortable for everyone,” Brackon said.

She explained that their first contact point will be through mailers and door knockers informing the public that willingness consultants are conducting research at a set time and place. The pamphlets will provide a website and a phone number for residents to leave their contact information.

Breckon also noted that this will be an evolving process and once the first contact point is finished, her team will move to outreach and interviews with residents.

Breckon said that another team will be involved in working with the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation, and that a culturally-appropriate survey of the community's willingness will have a different methodology than the one in Ignace.

However, residents living outside of the Ignace-Wabigoon Lake First Nation Area will be excluded from participating in the Willingness Study.

“We take a look at the scope of the willingness project, who gets to say, our relationship with the township is to really respect that resident voice. So, the folks that will live it out. The people who will be directly affected through legacy, their Children, the future residents of this community who will be investors or people moving into the area for work,” said Breckon.

"We are not including anyone that doesn't have an address in the borders here. Renters, owner, seasonal — if you have a stake in this community because you are an indirect or direct taxpayer — you're on the list.”



Clint Fleury, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

About the Author: Clint Fleury, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Clint Fleury is a web reporter covering Northwestern Ontario and the Superior North regions.
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