8 January 2022

Back several years ago when we were beginning to mobilize to oppose the giant Ottawa River radioactive waste mound (NSDF), a colleague suggested submitting an environmental petition to the Auditor General. These petitions are unlike classical petitions. The Environmental Petitions process is a formal means (covered in the Auditor General Act), whereby citizens can submit questions to government officials about environmentally important issues. The OAG mediates the process and the officials are required to answer the questions within a 120 day time frame.

The NSDF proposal was (and is) so substandard and irresponsible, that it prompted a series of petitions to the AG from Concerned Citizens and various colleagues and NGOs.

Here are links to the petitions on various aspects of radioactive waste since 2017. Petition summaries can be found on the website of OAG here: https://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/pet_lp_e_938.html

405 – Canada’s Nuclear Legacy Liabilities: Clean-up Costs for the Chalk River Laboratories

405 B – Follow-up petition on Canada’s nuclear legacy liabilities

411 – Policies and strategies for managing non-fuel radioactive wastes

413 – Environmental Assessment of Nuclear Projects

418 – Need for a national policy on decommissioning of nuclear reactors

421 – Questioning nuclear power as clean energy

427 – Nuclear governance problems in Canada

443 – Reporting relationship of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

According to the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, one of the environment and sustainable development audits currently in progress is “Nuclear Waste Management”. The report is expected to be published in 2022.