A Win for Canadian Tribal Communities: The site at Bruce Power was to be Canada’s first geologic repository, but it has been stopped because the First Nation Saugeen Ojibways voted NO, and the company (Ontario Power Generation) agreed to proceed only with tribal approval.
BY: ADAM BELLĀ | blackburnnews.com
Members of the Saugeen Ojibway Nation have voted against a proposal to host a deep geologic repository at Bruce Power.
Out of 1,232 total votes, just 170 voted āyesā, while 1,058 voted ānoā, with four spoiled ballots.
In a release, Chief Lester Anoquot says āThis vote was a historic milestone and momentous victory for our People. We worked for many years for our right to exercise jurisdiction in our Territory and the free, prior and informed consent of our People will be recognizedā.
Ontario Power Generation spokesperson Fred Kuntz says āOPG respects the decision of the SON community. We followed SONās process. So we will uphold our 2013 commitment not to proceed with the DGR at the Bruce site without their support, and now we will move forward to develop an alternate solutionā.
He noted āWeāll explore other options and engage with key stakeholders to develop an alternate site selection process. Any new process is going to include engagement with indigenous people, as well as interested municipalitiesā.
When asked what the way forward is for Ontario Power Generation right now, Kuntz said ānow we are able to move forward with other optionsā.
Kim George, who organized a protest by 50 members of Saugeen Ojibway Nation on Wednesday, says āIām so happy that itās a no, a resounding no. The people have spoke loud and clear, and itās a noā. This effects all people along the Great Lakes basin. Millions of people drink from that water, and to have the DGR, along with the plant, we canāt do anything about the plant right now, but there was something we could do about the DGR, and yes weāve spoken, and we said noā.