South Bruce Nuclear Exploration Forum - Background

For Immediate Release

Tuesday, April 11, 2023

South Bruce, ON – The South Bruce Nuclear Exploration Forum took place at the Teeswater Culross Community Centre on April 4 and 5, 2023. Presentations are available on the municipal webpage. The sessions included:

Community Study Summary – Presentation by Katrina McCullough, Stakeholder Engagement Specialist with GHD Limited. She spoke to the most important learnings from the socio-economic studies undertaken to date. The full Summary of Socio-Economic Community Studies and Peer Review Findings document is available from the municipal website.

Agriculture in a Nuclear Host Community – The panel discussed the indirect effects of the nuclear industry on agriculture, such as creating resources in agri-tech, opportunities for the for the trades, knowledge building and an economic influx that raises that standard of living. Panelists were Clark Hoskin, Senior Manager in Economic Advisory at Deloitte; Pat Jilesen, Strategic Counsel at MK&A and Past-President of the Bruce County Federation of Agriculture; Allan Ribbink, Chair at Canadian Sheep Federation and Owner and Operator at Allan Ribbink Livestock, and the panel moderator, Don Murray, the Mayor of the Township of Huron-Kinloss. The discussion also covered food safety regulations including comprehensive monitoring and testing. Panelists noted that while there can be some public concern for agriculture about nuclear impacts, in their experience, there is no impact on food safety or business success.

Deep Geological Repositories: International Experiences – Panelists including Tiina Jalonen, Senior Vice-President of Development at Posiva Oy of Finland, and Jacob Spangenberg, former Mayor of Östhammer, Sweden, took part in a panel moderated by Tom Isaacs, former Lead Advisor to the U.S. Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future. Jalonen and Spangenberg shared their experiences in the process of siting and preparing for a Deep Geological Repository in their respective countries. Spangenberg described how the community has determined an added values programme to capitalize on the benefits and the importance of building trust. Jalonen provided thorough descriptions of the technical aspects of current Finnish nuclear operation. She explained that the Sweden, Finnish and Canadian facilities are each tailored to fit the specific and varying needs of the Projects.

A Conversation About Indigenous Communities and the Nuclear Industry – Desiree Norwegian, CPA, CEO and Founder of Atunda Inc., and Marsha Roote, Indigenous Relations Advisor at Bruce Power, joined a panel moderated by Tracy Primeau, ICD.D, Founder and Principle at Agile Bear Consulting, and Board Member at Ontario Power Generation. The panel discussed the history of Indigenous peoples in relation to the energy industry. Panelists shared personal experiences and emphasized the importance of creating authentic engagement with Indigenous communities. Open and honest conversation about reconciliation is needed for Indigenous communities and peoples to develop equity and partnerships.

Confidence in Safety – Paul Gierszewski, Director of Safety and Technical Research at the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO), and Andy Parmenter Section Manager of Geoscientific Integration and Synthesis at the NWMO presented the safety case for the Project in South Bruce. They outlined steps the NWMO has taken to ensure that the Project is safe for the determined host community. The presentation provided a breakdown of the geological makeup of South Bruce, known as the Cobourg Formation, along with the processes used to determine the ideal geological makeup for a Deep Geological Repository. Seismic activity, potential flooding, and other factors were taken into consideration for ensuring safety long into the future. The presentation explained the Multiple-Barrier System designed to transport and store used nuclear fuel. They stressed the importance of monitoring and testing at the surface facilities and noted that work continues on the process of ensuring safety.

Youth Retention and Opportunities in South Bruce – The panel was comprised of Dave Barrett, Service Provider Liaison in Planning and Development at the County of Bruce; Nicholas Manglal-Ian, Executive Director at Launch Pad Youth Skills and Technology Centre; Brianna Rector, PhD Candidate with Wren Group in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Western Ontario and was moderated by Chad Richards, Director of New Nuclear and Net Zero Partnerships at the Nuclear Innovation Institute. Students from local high schools joined the audience as the panel discussed the importance of mentorship and community support in cultivating career development to encourage youth to return to the area after pursuing their education. To retain youth, the community must provide an obvious path to local employment, a space that promotes the expression of passion for individuals and various skill training opportunities, such as Launch Pad courses. The panel also advised youth to be open to adjusting plans as values and needs change, to say yes to opportunities and to advocate for themselves.

Skilled Labour Resources –The panel discussion included Scott Clark, Senior Director of Labour Relations at Bruce Power; Clark Hoskin, Senior Manager in Economic Advisory at Deloitte; Andy Keir, Senior Consultant and Principal at Keir Corp. and moderator Ian Dobrindt, Peer Review Team Lead at GHD Limited. The panel emphasised that the community should seek to know as much as possible about the economic impacts of Project, to best position themselves for the potential benefits. Based on this understanding, a strategy for local workforce is needed to maximize opportunities. A local example of a workforce development strategy is the soft skills training and the expansion of boilermaker educational institutions to support the needs of Bruce Power. The panel said the Project would provide opportunities for local careers and emphasized that parents and students should stay engaged and proactive in attending events that can provide valuable experience or insights.

After Site Selection: What Happens Next? – The presentation shared insights on the regulating bodies related to the Project. Conor Anderson, Project Manager for the Ontario Region at the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC); Dominic McRae Environmental Assessment Officer in the Review Panels Division at the IAAC and Julia Smith, Project Officer in the Waste and Decommissioning Division at the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) formed the panel. They described how they work together to oversee the nuclear industry in Canada, the NWMO, and the community that is selected following site selection. Safety was emphasized as the first priority. As well, community residents will have opportunity to provide their insights as part of the licensing process, for example access to popular walking trails and hunting spots. The CNSC is currently seeking input on a regulatory document, REGDOC-1.2.3, and encouraged the community to participate in the process.

Safe Transportation and Packaging of Canada’s Used Nuclear Fuel – Aaron Chiu, Senior Engineer, Scientist and Technical Officer for Used Fuel Packaging at the NWMO, and Gabriel Rodriguez, Associate Engineer, Scientist, Technical Officer for Used Fuel Transportation at the NWMO, presented the technology and processes to store and transport used nuclear fuel. They described various ways used nuclear fuel is packaged and transport, and gave background on how the designs were tested for their effectiveness in resisting affects of collision, fire, puncture and water. The transport containers must pass tests that ensure that regardless of extreme conditions or failures, that no nuclear product is exposed or released. Canada also secures the transportation routes by restricting route information. Each step of the transportation process and all safety measures were explained: from interim storage, the transfer of fuel to used fuel packaging plant and then transfer to containers for placement in the DGR.

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For more information:
Tyler Robinson,

Communications/Public Relations Officer

South Bruce Nuclear Exploration Team

Municipality of South Bruce

519-901-3959

South Bruce is one of two remaining communities that the Nuclear Waste Management Organization is considering for the site of a deep geological repository for Canada’s used nuclear fuel, a Centre of Expertise and many supporting facilities. The Municipality of South Bruce is working towards an informed decision for the community through the South Bruce Nuclear Exploration Project team, the Community Liaison Committee, and independent reviews to determine if the site is safe for people and the environment, offers positive benefits and if the community is willing to host the site.