Following our recent report on the development of the near-surface disposal facility (NSDF) in Chalk River, THE EQUITY reached out to one of the Indigenous groups involved in the consultation period to discuss their concerns.

Chief Dylan Whiteduck, of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg (KZA) said the nation is currently putting together documentation for the next hearing. Chief Whiteduck said KZA does not support this project and believes storing nuclear waste near the shore of the Ottawa River is “not a good idea.”

Last spring the The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s (CNSC) held public hearings to amend the operating license for the Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) site to construct the proposed NSDF for low-level radioactive waste located in Deep River, Ontario. Five Algonquin nations made interventions in the hearings, saying they had not been adequately consulted about this plan to build a nuclear waste facility on their unceded territory.

As a result, the commission granted Kebaowek First Nation (KFN) and KZA until January of this year to complete a proper consultation on the proposed facility. In December, KFN and KZA applied for and were granted an extension on this deadline until May 1.

KZA is working with KFN, which is west of Chalk River on the Ottawa River, They are currently conducting their own assessment of the potential risks associated with the proposed waste facility in an effort to determine whether they can support this project research and investigations. Their conclusions will be presented to CNSC next licensing hearing.

However, regardless of the First Nations’ final conclusions, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. (AECL) the crown corporation that owns the waste, has said they will not give the nations being consulted any kind of final veto power.

When asked what he thought about the initial time frame of Jan. 31, Chief Whiteduck stated that it was unrealistic given the work that goes into doing such research.

“They’re a team of 1000 people that know this project inside and out and we’re a First Nation treaty that has to govern our community and the territory and we don’t have specialty resources at our disposal to handle this project. And also, it takes a bit of time to develop our team and it was just an inadequate timeframe that they gave us,” he said.

“We are not radioactive specialists. We’re stewards of the land,” said Chief Whiteduck.

Chief Whiteduck stated there was a lack of meaningful dialogue between First Nations and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, the private consortium tasked by the government to build the facility. Chief Whiteduck said the written correspondence and tours of the facility were not sufficient as the consultation.

“It’s much bigger than that. I think they started to realize that as stewards and First Nations of the territory and lands it’s going to impact us. And that’s why it is very important that we have this proper dialogue for the future and here to come,” he said.

On Jan. 31 a revised procedural guidance on final submissions addressed the request by KFN and the KZA for the opportunity to present their final submissions by way of an oral hearing.

In the decision letter, the commission said it had, “reviewed the requests and agrees that, in the spirit of reconciliation and in recognition of the Indigenous oral tradition for sharing knowledge, the Commission will allow oral final submissions by Indigenous Nations and communities that made oral interventions during Part 2 of the public hearing.”

In choosing to do so Indigenous Nations and communities must inform the Commission Registry of their intent to participate in the oral hearing no later than May 31, 2023.

MP Sophie Chatel spoke on the matter and highlighted that she has been in conversation with different Indigenous groups about her biodiversity project in the region and mentioned the importance of protecting the Ottawa River. She also acknowledges the real dangers of a site so close to the river but said it comes down to the commission to identify if it is safe or not.

“We need to deal with the waste in a way that is the safest and quickest,” Chatel said.

Chief Whiteduck highlighted that this “fight” is not just for them because they might not be around for the next 30 or 40 years but rather they are doing this to protect the land and the water for the next generation.

Chief Whiteduck said KZA’s consultation team was under a lot of pressure because it feels it’s up to them to stop the NSDF from being built. Nonetheless, he appreciates seeing the support from non-Indigenous folks on this matter and hopes more people speak up.

“It’s nice to see that support and I do hope non-Indigenous and Canadians could support us in this and not having this initiative there because it shouldn’t happen,” Whiteduck emphasized.

The next licensing hearing is expected to be held in Ottawa-Gatineau Region on June 27, 2023.

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