Community Liaison Committee Continues Learning About Safety Processes

SOUTH BRUCE, ON – The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) and Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) described their roles and processes for safeguarding people and the natural environment during the lifespan for Canada’s deep geological repository (DGR), at the Community Liaison Committee meeting on August 8^th.

Municipal staff also presented at the CLC meeting describing the Guiding Principles that relate to Safety and the Natural Environment, and Governance and Community Engagement.

The IAAC is a federal organization that conducts impact assessments, which aims to enhance positive aspects of projects and mitigate any adverse effects. The IAAC coordinates consultation with community members, community groups, Indigenous peoples, and others with interest in the Project during the impact assessment.

Staff from the IAAC defined the stages of an impact assessment from pre-planning through post-decision. They explained that there are key opportunities for community members to have their say during an impact assessment. Further, the presentation described how participant funding is available to help recipients prepare for and participate in key stages of a project’s assessment.

Community members will have opportunities to share comments during the impact assessment via the Canadian Impact Assessment Registry; at in-person or virtual info sessions, open houses, or meetings; in online video conferences and webinars; in workshops, technical meetings or focus groups; and in the review panel's public hearing.

The CNSC is the federal body responsible for regulating the nuclear industry to protect people and the environment, advocate for the peaceful implementation of nuclear energy and to share information from the nuclear industry to the public.

The CNSC presentation explained the four stages – Site Preparation, Construction, Operation, and Decommissioning - in CNSC’s licensing processes. CNSC processes ensure compliance with regulatory requirements through field inspections, self-reporting, follow-up actions, and public engagement.

For a DGR specifically, the CNSC license would describe the acceptable performance and activities that can take place, including criteria for any waste to be placed in the DGR. Any fundamental changes to a licensed DGR would require a license amendment and trigger an additional review and licensing process.

More information about how the IAAC and CNSC ensure safety during packaging, transportation, emergency management and environmental protection processes is available in the full presentation on the municipal website.

Representatives from the IAAC and CNSC will be in South Bruce for the August 16^th weekend. Community members are encouraged to engage and ask questions at the municipally-organized Breakfast with the Regulators at the Teeswater Town Hall from 7 AM – 10 AM on Friday August 16, as well as at the Teeswater Fall Fair, where the IAAC and CNSC will each host informational booths.

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