1. Home
  2. Draft Integrated Strategy for Radioactive Waste: Public Comment Period is Closed

Draft Integrated Strategy for Radioactive Waste: Public Comment Period is Closed

With extensive input from waste producers and owners, government, Indigenous peoples, and interested Canadians, the NWMO focused on identifying gaps in current plans for the long-term management for radioactive waste and providing technical options to address these gaps. The resulting recommendations consider options for the number of long-term waste management facilities in Canada, as well as for the staging, integration, siting, establishment and operation of these facilities for all of the radioactive waste in Canada, regardless of how it was generated. This draft strategy represents a next step and builds on what we have heard from Canadians and Indigenous people. It is not intended to replace other projects currently in progress but rather includes these plans.

Thank you for your interest in being part of the development of an integrated strategy for the long-term management of radioactive waste in Canada. We welcome all voices and perspectives. Please use the below forum to submit your feedback and comments about the Draft Integrated Strategy for Radioactive Waste (ISRW).

Submissions are accepted through the ISRW website, as well as by email (info@radwasteplanning.ca) during our 90-day public comment period from August 25, 2022 to November 24, 2022.

Following the close of the comment period, we will review your comments, along with the others received, to inform the final ISRW recommendations. The ISRW will not be finalized and submitted to the Minister of Natural Resources until after the government’s revised Policy for Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning is published, which is expected in late 2022, to ensure the recommendations that we put forward align with and support the policy.

Draft Integrated Strategy for Radioactive Waste – Draft for Public Comment

Draft Integrated Strategy for Radioactive Waste – Executive Summary

Register for a ISRW Information Session 

Discussion Questions - What do you think?

Please note that comment submission is now closed.

Recommendation 1: Low-level waste should be disposed of in multiple near-surface facilities with implementation resting with the waste owners.

Do you think of the concept of regional facilities for the disposal of low-level waste should be pursued? If so, do you think regional facilities should serve one or more provinces, multiple facilities in a defined geographic area or another grouping configuration such as Eastern, Central, and Western Canada?

Some waste owners have only small quantities of low-level waste to manage. how do you think we can best ensure that all low-level waste has a long-term plan, while keeping costs and the number of facilities to a manageable number and maintaining the responsibility for implementation with the waste owners?