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What Questions Will Community Well-Being Studies Address?
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Beyond ensuring safety, the NWMO’s commitment to any host community and region is that its long-term well-being or quality of life will be fostered through participation in this project. Studies will be conducted to explore whether there is the potential for the project to contribute to the well-being of the community and region.
Community well-being evaluation factors, as outlined in Moving Forward Together: Process for Selecting a Site for Canada’s Deep Geological Repository for Used Nuclear Fuel, will be used to address questions such as the following:
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What is the community’s capacity to host the project (e.g. decision-making processes, infrastructure, labour), or to develop the capacity to host the project with the assistance of the NWMO?
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How does the project align with the objectives and/or vision the community has for itself (its values; its sensitivities and concerns), and how is the community expected to benefit from the project both in the near term and over the long term?
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Can the well-being of the community be enhanced if selected to host the project?
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Are there likely to be social and economic pressures that will need to be managed? Can these pressures be successfully managed?
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As the NWMO and communities begin to look at the potential effects of the project on the broader region in a preliminary way, evaluation factors will be used to help address the following questions:
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Can the project help foster the well-being of surrounding communities and region? Is the project able to promote the local and regional economy and employment in a manner that is sensitive to the needs and preferences of surrounding communities and region?
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Can the project help foster the well-being of surrounding Aboriginal communities? Is the project able to promote the local and regional economy and employment in a manner that is sensitive to the needs and preferences of these communities?
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Can the project be implemented in a way to avoid or minimize negative effects associated with the transportation of used nuclear fuel from existing storage facilities to the community/siting area?
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Is there potential to establish a foundation to move forward with the project in this broader area?
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Can the questions and concerns of communities on the transportation route as a large group with a shared interest be addressed?
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In order for a community and associated siting area(s) to be considered for subsequent steps in the site selection process:
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The feasibility study findings must show there is the potential for a net positive benefit to both the community and to the surrounding area.
The total resources required to support the implementation of the project at the site and the well-being of the community and surrounding area will also be considered and must be assessed by the NWMO to be economically feasible.
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What Is the Purpose of a Feasibility Study?