Opposition to Nuclear Repository in Northwestern Ontario

We are concerned business owners, since 1963, as well as residents and tax payers.

Many people in the area do not realize how close to the town of Dryden this radioactive storage will be. It is closer to the Dryden area than Ignace, as it’s being pitched.

The nuclear repository will be located directly at the head waters of the Wabigoon watershed.This in turn flows into the English and Winnipeg rivers, ending in Hudson’s Bay.

As business owners we are already fielding questions from our guests on the impact of therepository and the environmental ramifications to the area fisheries and wildlife that inhabit in and around the proposed location. This impact is already being felt with initial road construction being done.

There needs to be a full impact assessment and public hearings which include the transportation of of the radioactive wastes and the potential impact to the communities it will traverse through.

The lengthly distance required for the transportation of hazardous nuclear waste is incredibly dangerous and irresponsible of our government to consider.

There are many stretches of Highway 17, specifically between Thunder Bay and the Manitoba border, that are often down to one lane or completely closed and very treacherous to travel in all seasons, especially the winter months. This would mean sitting on the highway with tons of nuclear waste,full or empty containers which contained nuclear materials, for however long the highway remains closed. Due to the high occurrence of accidents involving transports (semi’s) on this section of road, the percentage of a hazardous nuclear accident is increased.

Nuclear waste should be stored within close proximity to where it it produced - this should be common sense.

We anticipate having our business as well as many others, adversely affected in the very near future as further publicity is generated. To date we have not had any direct contact with anyone representing the DGR and our business interests. It will be the tourism industry along with the allied business’ that will be adversely affected, no matter how the government and it’s various organizations present and spin the narrative of positivity. There are many private landowners and citizens that have yet to be contacted. The open house forums have been difficult to attend due to the times they have been scheduled.

It comes to mind that this proposal is just another way of dumping on Northwestern Ontario, but in the the most damaging, most eternal way possible.

Once again as long time business owners, residents and land owners, we stand with thousands of Canadians that oppose nuclear waste dumping in Northwestern Ontario!