Questions remain ahead of plans to haul radioactive waste to northern Ontario town
Last year the Township of Nairn and Hyman, better known as Nairn Centre, was made aware of plans from the province to haul radioactive niobium tailings from a former mill near Nipissing First Nation to the old Agnew Lake mine – a property Ontario's Ministry of Mines took over in the 1990s.
Agnew Lake was a uranium mine and has already been holding radioactive waste for decades without incident.
Nairn and Hyman Mayor Amy Mazey said the community of around 400 people wants eight scientific studies about the risks associated with hauling niobium to the mine to be done before the trucks start rolling.
"When we put this niobium and uranium together, what's going to happen?" she asked.
Mazey said the Agnew Lake mine is located around 27 kilometres from the township's drinking water plant on the Spanish River.
"There aren't many people that live around where it will be deposited, unlike for Nipissing First Nation. But it isn't far from our drinking water," she said.
"This is stuff that's going to be around for a long time. There's cadmium, arsenic, selenium, silver, manganese, it's toxic. It's not good for anyone. We don't want to drink it."
Despite ongoing concerns from local residents, Mazey said the province is scheduled to start trucking over the niobium waste from Nipissing First Nation in August.
"It feels like this was really being snuck into our community," she said.
"It's a hard no from many people and other people, it's like 'Let's get answers to our questions.' And these answers, you know, we just feel we're getting them just before they're about to start trucking."
In an email to CBC News, Ontario's Ministry of Transportation – which is responsible for hauling the radioactive waste – said it "continues to work with Nipissing First Nation, the Ministry of Energy and Mines, as well as other key stakeholders to complete this project and relocate the remaining niobium rock tailings from First Nation and Ministry lands."
The ministry did not provide additional details about timelines to start that relocation work.
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Somebody made the wrong decision out there. When the fire was 30 kilometres away, we should have been warned and told to get ready for an evacuation. "This should have never happened. Somebody made the wrong decision out there. When the fire was 30 kilometres away, we should have been warned and told to get ready for an evacuation," he said. CBC News has reached out to the MNR and is awaiting a response. However, Carolane Gratton, a spokesperson for Indigenous Services Canada (ISC), said in an emailed statement, "Ontario is in the midst of a very active wildfire season, and Indigenous Services Canada is working in partnership with all affected First Nations, as well as First Nations leadership and organizations, the province of Ontario and other partners to respond. "Ensuring the safety and well-being of community members is our top priority, and we continue to support evacuation efforts and emergency needs as the situation evolves." About 4,000 people live in Pikangikum, located in Treaty 5 about 500 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay. A command centre has been set up at the school, the only building with power, thanks to a backup generator. While about 2,000 evacuees were initially expected to be sent to Toronto and Mississauga, Peters said, "that's too far to send my people." Instead, about 500 people have been sent to Thunder Bay and 50 prenatal women went to Sioux Lookout, he said. More evacuees are on the way, either boarding Dash-8 planes or choosing to self-evacuate. "As a leader, I'm very concerned [about] the number of people that are still here," said Peters. Favourable winds in the forecast As for Red Lake 62, Ontario Forest Fires said an implementation order remains in effect for the area, limiting the use of many roads and lakes. 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With no definitive timeline for restoration of power, Peters said he's calling for more resources to be delivered as soon as possible. "We're sending out an SOS. Whoever is listening, we need help," he said. "We need prayers. If you're a prayer warrior out there, pray for our community, pray for our people."
