To determine: Is there potential for long-term relationships and collaboration between the NWMO and the communities?
Since our inception, the NWMO has been committed to building relationships and collaboration with Canadians, Indigenous Peoples, interested communities, the scientific community and a wide range of people in addressing the technical and societal challenges and opportunities associated with the long-term management of radioactive waste.
One of the key criteria for selecting a safe site with informed and willing host communities is the potential to develop supportive and resilient relationships in the siting area. It is critical that the project be implemented collaboratively with communities, in a manner that is sustainable for the many decades required for the project to undergo regulatory review and licensing, construction, operations, decommissioning and closure.
In addition to assessing the potential for fostering community well-being or quality of life, the NWMO will assess the potential to develop sustainable, collaborative relationships in each potential host community. This will be done through engagement, information gathering, learning and dialogue with community residents and area leaders. This process will be guided by the NWMO’s Indigenous Knowledge Policy (2020) and Reconciliation Policy (2019).
The potential for building sustainable long-term relationships will be informed by various indicators.