MINISTER ENDORSES THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY'S "STRATEGY" ON RADIOACTIVE WASTE, GIVES NWMO GREEN LIGHT FOR NEXT FIVE YEARS
October, 2023 - With the astounding rationale that the challenges of radioactive waste "pale in comparison to the pollution produced by unabated high-carbon power production", federal minister of Natural Resources Jonathon Wilkinson has endorsed the Nuclear Waste Management Organization's "strategy" for the long term management of intermediate and low level radioactive wastes. Within minutes of the announcement, the NWMO had released their own statement, basking in their achievements. Civil society organizations have vigorously opposed the nuclear industry being given the lead in developing the radioactive waste management strategy, and had full expected the Minister to engage with Canadians and Indigenous people in his review of the draft strategy submitted to him by the NWMO in June, consistent with the commitments the minister of the day made in 2020. He did not. Instead, he unilaterally endorsed the nuclear industry's strategy.
October, 2023 - With the astounding rationale that the challenges of radioactive waste "pale in comparison to the pollution produced by unabated high-carbon power production", federal minister of Natural Resources Jonathon Wilkinson has endorsed the Nuclear Waste Management Organization's "strategy" for the long term management of intermediate and low level radioactive wastes. Within minutes of the announcement, the NWMO had released their own statement, basking in their achievements. Civil society organizations have vigorously opposed the nuclear industry being given the lead in developing the radioactive waste management strategy, and had full expected the Minister to engage with Canadians and Indigenous people in his review of the draft strategy submitted to him by the NWMO in June, consistent with the commitments the minister of the day made in 2020. He did not. Instead, he unilaterally endorsed the nuclear industry's strategy.
In November 2020 Natural Resources Canada launched a review of Canada's Radioactive Waste Policy. Hundreds of Canadians and Canadian civil society organizations partcipated in a series of roundtable discussions with Natural Resources Canada and thousands submitted comments. In February 2022 Natural Resources Canada released a draft of their radioactive waste policy and thousands of comments were received by the April deadline. In April a national collaborative of public interest groups released "An Alternative Policy for Canada on Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning."
In late 2022 Natural Resources Canada stated that the release of the final Radioactive Waste Policy would be delayed until 2023. On March 27 2023 the Minister issued a statement that the policy would be released "in the coming days". It was released March 31st. Read it HERE.
In late 2022 Natural Resources Canada stated that the release of the final Radioactive Waste Policy would be delayed until 2023. On March 27 2023 the Minister issued a statement that the policy would be released "in the coming days". It was released March 31st. Read it HERE.
MEDIA RELEASE
3 April 2023
3 April 2023
Civil Society Groups Reject Canada’s Radioactive Waste Policy
Ottawa – Civil society groups are expressing profound disappointment in the federal government’s recently released radioactive waste policy, after Natural Resources Canada quietly posted the final policy to a government website on Friday morning.
Organizations who were intensively engaged in the policy development process between November 2020 and May 2022 are calling the policy a handover to the nuclear industry and say it fails to meet international standards or the public’s expectations.
“It is a fundamental failure. It leaves the industry in charge and the public and the environment at risk. This policy is a betrayal of science and public trust," said Dr. Ole Hendrickson, for the Sierra Club Canada Foundation.
SEE NUCLEAR WASTE WATCH RELEASE HERE. Canadian Environmental Law Association release is HERE
Click on Policy for Radioactive Waste and Decommissioning (the Policy), March 2023 for the final policy.
Organizations who were intensively engaged in the policy development process between November 2020 and May 2022 are calling the policy a handover to the nuclear industry and say it fails to meet international standards or the public’s expectations.
“It is a fundamental failure. It leaves the industry in charge and the public and the environment at risk. This policy is a betrayal of science and public trust," said Dr. Ole Hendrickson, for the Sierra Club Canada Foundation.
SEE NUCLEAR WASTE WATCH RELEASE HERE. Canadian Environmental Law Association release is HERE
Click on Policy for Radioactive Waste and Decommissioning (the Policy), March 2023 for the final policy.
30 March 2023
Civil Society Groups Anticipate Release of Canada’s Radioactive Waste Policy
Ottawa - Civil society groups are anticipating the imminent release of Canada’s “modernized” radioactive waste policy. On March 27th Natural Resources Canada released a statement that the policy “will be accessible online in the coming days.”
A rapid response from civil society groups, convened by a campaign group of Nuclear Waste Watch, will be issued shortly after the policy’s release. Read the entire media advisory and backgrounder HERE
Civil Society Groups Anticipate Release of Canada’s Radioactive Waste Policy
Ottawa - Civil society groups are anticipating the imminent release of Canada’s “modernized” radioactive waste policy. On March 27th Natural Resources Canada released a statement that the policy “will be accessible online in the coming days.”
A rapid response from civil society groups, convened by a campaign group of Nuclear Waste Watch, will be issued shortly after the policy’s release. Read the entire media advisory and backgrounder HERE
Nuclear Waste Watch has launched a campaign to have a ban on the reprocessing of nuclear fuel waste included in Canada's radioactive waste policy. Visit our dedicated web page at reprocessing.ca Send a message to PM Trudeau HERE
REVIEW OF CANADA'S RADIOACTIVE WASTE POLICY
Review Details Key Principles and Policy Points Discussion papers and backgrounders Timeline and Synopsis
Review Details Key Principles and Policy Points Discussion papers and backgrounders Timeline and Synopsis
December 2022 - Natural Resources Canada stated that the release of the final Radioactive Waste Policy would be delayed until 2023. On March 27 2023 the Minister issued a statement that the policy would be released "in the coming days". Watch for it HERE.
April 5. 2022 - A national collaborative public interest groups released "An Alternative Policy for Canada on Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning." The Radioactive Waste Review Group is submitting the alternative policy and a meeting request to Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources Canada. The Alternative Policy mirrors in order and content a draft policy released in February 2022 by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). However, the Alternative Policy integrates important changes to bring the policy in line with fundamental principles of transparency, safety and the public good.
Read the news release in English HERE et en francais ICI
Read the news release in English HERE et en francais ICI
February 1, 2022 - Natural Resources Canada has released a draft of their revised radioactive waste policy and are inviting written feedback on the draft Policy for Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning during a public comment period of 60 days, from February 1, 2022 to April 2, 2022. They have also posted their third "What We Heard report" report following their engagement process on the radioactive waste policy review last year. Both documents are HERE
Nuclear Waste Watch has produced a one page summary of NRCan's February 2022 draft policy. View it HERE. Read our analysis of the draft policy HERE
Nuclear Waste Watch has produced a one page summary of NRCan's February 2022 draft policy. View it HERE. Read our analysis of the draft policy HERE
November 2021 - One year ago the Minister of Natural Resources announced a review of Canada's radioactive waste policy, in response to an international investigation that found Canada's policy and strategies for radioactive waste inadequate. In the earlier months of 2021, hundreds of us participated in this review through on-line preparatory workshops with Nuclear Waste Watch, "viritual" roundtables with Natural Resources Canada, and providing written comments through emails, briefs, or posts in NRCans's online forums.
A brief recap of the radioactive waste policy review to date:
On January 12th Nuclear Waste Wach held a "Refresh and Restart" webinar for review participants.
The presentation slides are available HERE
A brief recap of the radioactive waste policy review to date:
- In November 2020 the Minister of Natural Resources announced a review of Canada's radioactive waste policy, to be led by Natural Resources Canada
- between January and May Natural Resources Canada held a number of roundtables and virtual sessions inviting comments on four discussion papers
- the deadline for comments was May 31st; over six hundred comments were received, overwhelmingly calling for a massive reform of Canada's radioactive waste policies, practices and regulations
- In July Natural Resources Canada published the second of their summary reports on what they heard from the public throughout the review
- In September, Nuclear Waste Watch provided Natural Resources Canada with preliminary feedback on NRCan's engagement summaries in a "What We Said" report
On January 12th Nuclear Waste Wach held a "Refresh and Restart" webinar for review participants.
The presentation slides are available HERE
November 16th, 2020 - Natural Resources Canada launched a review of Canada's Radioactive Waste Policy. The review was expected - it came nine months after the federal government committed to the review in response to an international investigation that concluded that Canada's radioactive waste policy was inadequate. What was not expected was that the nuclear industry would be the first to announce the review, or that Natural Resources Canada would put the nuclear industry in charge. READ MORE HERE.
Natural Resources Canada Convened Four Online "Roundtables" for Public Interest Input on Radioactive Waste Policy
Learn more about those roundtables and the topics covered HERE
Learn more about those roundtables and the topics covered HERE
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100 Groups Demand Transparency in Canada’s Review of
Radioactive Waste Policy and Waste Management Strategies |
100 groupes adressent une lettre au premier ministre et au ministre des Ressources naturelles pour plus de transparence lors de la révision de la politique sur les déchets radioactifs et l'élaboration de leur stratégie de gestion
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February 2021 - Over 100 public interest and community groups signed on to a joint letter setting out their expectations for a review of Canada's Radioactive Waste Policy launched by Natural Resources Canada last November. Top on their list: the review must be transparent, and independent of the nuclear industry.
Read the letter HERE . The media release is HERE. |
Février 2021 - Plus de 100 groupes d'intérêt public et communautaires ont signé une lettre conjointe énonçant leurs attentes concernant une révision de la politique canadienne sur les déchets radioactifs lancée par Ressources naturelles Canada en novembre dernier. En tête de leurs attentes: l'examen doit être transparent et indépendant de l'industrie nucléaire.
Vous pouvez consulter la lettre en ligne en cliquant ICI |
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NRCAN WASTE REVIEW WEB SITE
MINISTER'S NEWS RELEASE NWMO ANNOUNCEMENT |
LETTER FROM THE CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ASSOCIATION, GREENPEACE AND NORTHWATCH TO TRUDEAU AND O'REGAN [NOV 17]
"Yesterday your government launched a review of Canada's radioactive waste policies. The review was expected, although we were disappointed that the commitment Minister O'Regan made in July to have his staff reach out to us to help shape the review has been abandoned. But what shocked us was that the first announcement came not from the Government of Canada or from Natural Resources Canada but from the nuclear industry, announcing that a nuclear industry organization made up of the generators of radioactive waste would "lead the development of an integrated radioactive waste management strategy, at the request of the Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Natural Resources Canada". "Not only is this outside the mandate of the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) but it is an affront to all concerned Canadians that you would place the very companies who have created the problem - and spent decades and hundreds of millions of ratepayers and taxpayers dollars failing to solve the problem - in a lead role in this long-awaited review. "This outsourcing of policy development to a conglomerate of nuclear power generators goes against your own government’s commitment to transparency. As you must be aware, unlike government departments including Natural Resources Canada, the NWMO is exempt from access to information requests, placing them beyond checks and balances and the traceability of their decisions" READ ENTIRE LETTER HERE. READ ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS HERE |
Canada needs a national radioactive waste policy / a besoin d'un cadre stratégique national sur les déchets radioactifs
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Canada needs a national radioactive waste policy framework that includes rules and policies that will protect human health and the environment and make the nuclear industry accountable and responsible.
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Le Canada a besoin d'un cadre stratégique national sur les déchets radioactifs qui comprend des règles et des politiques qui protégeront la santé humaine et l'environnement et rendront l'industrie nucléaire responsable et responsable.
Un examen des politiques canadiennes sur les déchets radioactifs a été lancé par Ressources naturelles Canada le 16 novembre. Cliquez ICI pour rester en contact. |
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Letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, September 2020
Letter to Minister O'Regan on public engagement in review September 2020 Letter to Minister O'Regan "Canada Needs a National Radioactive Waste Policy" May 15, 2020 Response from Minister O'Regan, July 2020 |
Lettre au premier ministre Justin Trudeau, septembre 2020
Lettre au ministre O'Regan sur Implication du public Septembre 2020 Lettre au ministre O'Regan " La nécessité d’une politique nationale sur les déchets radioactifs" le 15 mai 2020 Réponse du ministre O'Regan Juillet 2020 |
Briefing for Media and MP's: Sham Regulation of Radioactive Waste in Canada. //
Briefing pour les Média et les Députés: Simulacre de Règlement sur les Déchets Radioactifs au Canada
June 16 Juin
cliquer / Click HERE / ICI for briefing materials / pour documents d'information
Presentation (recording) PPT Slides / diapositives
Briefing pour les Média et les Députés: Simulacre de Règlement sur les Déchets Radioactifs au Canada
June 16 Juin
cliquer / Click HERE / ICI for briefing materials / pour documents d'information
Presentation (recording) PPT Slides / diapositives
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, May 19, 2020
Civil society urges suspension of decisions involving radioactive waste after international body finds Canada’s nuclear waste policy deficient The full text of the letter sent to the Minister, may be found on the Nuclear Waste Watch website HERE. |
COMMUNIQUÉ DE PRESSE, le 19 mai 2020
Une centaine de groupes exigent un gel de tous les projets en cours tant qu’Ottawa n’aura pas bouché les trous béants de sa politique Le texte de la lettre adressée au ministre est disponible ICI. |
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MEDIA COVERAGE
Canada’s Nuclear Waste Disposal Policy found deficient Renfrew Today, May 22, 2020 More than 100 organizations, experts call on government to suspend radioactive waste disposal until policy in place, Manitoulin Expositor, May 22, 2020 New Brunswick groups want new nuclear projects suspended until feds have a plan for radioactive waste New Brunswick Media Co-op,May 21, 2020 Groups ask Ottawa to press 'pause' on nuclear waste disposal, Thunder Bay NewsWatch, May 19, 2020 Civil Society Urges Suspension of Decisions Involving Radioactive Waste, Ontario News North, May 19, 202 |
Couverture médiatique
Des groupes exigent un gel des projets d’élimination des déchets radioactifs, Radio Canada, May 22, 2020 |
