New logo, 2024, for municipality of South Bruce. (supplied image)
It was close, but it’s a yes in South Bruce.
The municipality’s public referendum results are in, and residents narrowly voted in favour of being a willing host to an underground nuclear waste storage site.
Fifty-one-point-two (51.2) per cent of people casted “Yes” ballots to the referendum question, which asked: Are you in favour of the municipality of South Bruce declaring South Bruce to be a willing host for the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s proposed Deep Geological Repository (DGR)?
The “No” vote was 48.4 per cent.
The result is binding for South Bruce council, as voter turnout was more than 69 per cent. That number is well above the threshold for the outcome to be binding under Ontario’s Municipal Elections Action.
“We are so pleased that South Bruce voters came out to have their say on this important decision,” says Mayor Mark Goetz in a statement. “It is an extremely proud moment to have our community make such a momentous decision through a democratic vote.”
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is proposing to construct a DGR to store Canada’s used nuclear fuel. South Bruce is one of two communities under consideration, along with Ignace, Ont. Residents in Ignace have also consented to being a willing host.
If it ends up being South Bruce, the NWMO previously announced agreements with landowners north of Teeswater for a potential DGR location.
A decision from the NWMO on its preferred site — South Bruce or Ignace — is expected to come before the end of the year. The NWMO has also committed to ensuring First Nations demonstrate a willingness for sites to move forward in the process.
“The NWMO continues to work closely with Saugeen Ojibway Nation as they consider if the project is a good fit for their community,” a news release issued by the NWMO in response to the South Bruce referendum result says. “In the other potential siting region in northwestern Ontario, the Township of Ignace confirmed its willingness to move forward in July 2024. We also continue to work with Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation as they consider the project.”
A release from the NWMO says after site selection, a mandatory multi-year regulatory decision-making process will begin, including an impact assessment and license applications. It will be led by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
“The impact assessment provides an opportunity for public participation and is designed to ensure the project meets or exceeds strict regulatory criteria to protect the health, safety and security of people and the environment,” the NWMO says in a statement.
You can see the unofficial results in the South Bruce referendum here.
*Note: This story was update from an earlier version to add more information.
- South Bruce Signs DGR Hosting Agreement Ahead Of Fall Referendum
- Nuclear Waste Management Organization Secures More Agreements With Property Owners In South Bruce