Resources were available to support interested communities involved in Step 3: Phase 2 – Field studies and engagement.

Resources were also available to Indigenous communities in the area, as well as to neighbouring municipalities.

Further information was provided in the following documents:

• Resources to support learning and exploring the potential for partnerships — communities involved in advanced studies
• Planning for the APM Project: Early Investments in Education and Skills
• Resources to Support Engagement of Neighbouring Communities in the NWMO Site Selection Process
• Resources to Support Engagement of First Nation Communities in the NWMO Site Selection Process

Previous resource programs

The programs below were available in the earlier stages of Step 3: Preliminary assessments of suitability. These programs were replaced with the initiatives outlined above but remain available below for reference.

• Resources to Support Engagement of Interested Communities in the NWMO Site Selection Process
• Resources to Support Engagement of Interested Communities in the NWMO Site Selection Process — Addendum to Support Communities Involved in Advanced Studies
• Aboriginal Communities Enhanced Resources Funding Program
• Preliminary Assessment of Potential Suitability: Step 3, Phase 2 — Resources to Support Engagement of Métis Communities and Regional Métis Organizations in the NWMO Site Selection Process

The program launched in 2012 and included the following initiatives:

• Funding to communities for administrative expenses associated with co-ordinating community activities to learn more: Upon request, resources were made available to communities for expenses incurred through participating in Step 3: Phase 1 – Desktop studies and engagement. This included costs associated with a community working group, advertising (e.g., events and newsletters) and professional fees or part-time staff resource support. This may have also included funding to communities to cover expenses of municipal staff associated with communications among staff and council, payroll, accounts payable, tracking receipts, phone, fax, email, etc. related to the Learn More process, as well as travel expenses for meetings with surrounding communities. An accounting was kept of activities and money spent suitable for third-party audit. Up to $75,000 of funding was provided over a 12-month period.
• Community planning: Funding to communities to develop and/or augment an existing long-term vision for community sustainability, integrated community sustainability plan and/or strategic plan in order to support their further consideration of the project. Communities were able to consider the project in the context of their long-term interests. This broad approach helped highlight the resources (social, economic and environmental) of the community and pave the way for thinking about how the project could affect the community on a variety of dimensions. Ultimately, the vision for the community and the extent to which the project could contribute to the vision in an acceptable way was a matter for the community to discuss and assess. The community — represented by accountable authorities — could request and receive resources to develop and/or augment an existing long-term vision for community sustainability, integrated community sustainability plan and/or strategic plan up to $40,000.
• Independent advice: Funding to communities for third-party review, hiring a consultant, studies and provision of expert advice to the community was available. Upon request, we provided small amounts of funding to geographically defined communities to assist in the hiring of independent expert advice, including advice designed to help build their understanding of the project and the basis for confidence in safety. In order to be qualified, third-party experts had to be recognized as experts in their field as demonstrated by teaching in a relevant area at a Canadian university and/or working in an established Canadian consulting firm with a demonstrated track record in the area. Proposals for independent expert advice of up to $40,000 were considered. (Important note: In the course of the NWMO’s work, we have engaged with a wide variety of consultants and universities across Canada and internationally to conduct studies and reviews that have contributed to the development of Canada’s plan. In considering possible third parties to provide studies and advice, communities were encouraged to inquire whether the expert individuals or organizations had completed work for us, or for other organizations involved in related work, and to seek a description of the nature of the work. This information would assist the community in assessing the independence of individuals and firms that were engaged to provided studies and advice. In order for a community to be eligible for funding for expert studies or advice from a consultant that had previously completed work for us, the consultant had to demonstrate that they could ensure the independence of the work they would conduct for the community.)
• NWMO-initiated meetings: We initiated meetings for which modest participant expenses were covered, consistent with the participant expense guidelines.
• Other activities: Funding to cover costs associated with other activities was considered upon request and then made available to all communities participating in Step 3 of the site selection process.

The program was further evolved in response to community requests with the addition of the following initiatives:

• Support for visit to interim storage facility for community liaison committees: We covered travel expenses to enable committees in communities involved in the site selection process to visit an interim waste storage facility in Ontario or another nearby facility, consistent with our participant expense guidelines.
• Travel expenses associated with visit to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for community liaison committees: We covered travel expenses to enable committees in communities in the site selection process to learn more about the regulatory framework governing the long-term management of used nuclear fuel by meeting with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). The timing and agenda for the meeting were established by the CNSC in concert with the committee, in order to ensure the committee's areas of interest and questions were addressed. We were informed once the meeting had taken place and reimbursed the travel expenses of committee members associated with attendance at the meeting, consistent with the participant expense guidelines.

We worked with Indigenous communities in the vicinity of the communities involved in Step 3 that were learning about the project, in order to understand different perspectives in answering the question: "How might traditional and contemporary views regarding land stewardship help us understand how a major development project, such as that proposed by the NWMO, must be implemented?"

A program of resources was made available to Indigenous communities at both the local and regional level. We sought to answer the following questions:

• Which Indigenous Peoples live in the vicinity of the communities involved in the site selection process and need to be involved in decision-making?
• Are there cultural practices and traditional laws of which we should be aware?
• How might Indigenous Peoples in the area be respectfully engaged in learning about the project and decision-making on the path forward?
• How is well-being defined by the community or region and what is the vision for the area today and over the long term?
• What is the traditional, historical and current use of the land and area?
• What are the considerations in deciding where and how the project will be implemented and how the well-being of the people and the environment in the area will be assured?

• Program Description and Guidelines for Applications for Resources Available in Early Stages of Step 3 — Invitation to First Nation Communities and Regional Organizations
• Program Description and Guidelines for Applications for Resources Available in Early Stages of Step 3 — Invitation to Métis Local Communities and Regional Organizations
• Program Description and Guidelines for Applications for Resources Available in Early Stages of Step 3 — Invitation to the Métis Nation of Ontario and Regional Consultation Committees

Prior to the NWMO’s site selection announcement in 2024, we implemented Acknowledgment and Community Well-Being funding programs to recognize community leadership in advancing Canada's plan for the safe, long-term management of used nuclear fuel. Administered by communities, the funding programs were intended to support continuing efforts to build community sustainability and well-being. Nine First Nations and 25 municipalities benefited from the programs.

The Acknowledgment funding program focused on municipal and Indigenous communities that entered the site selection process and neighbouring communities actively involved in the learning process in each siting area. Funding was allocated in a manner sensitive to the level of participation and role of each community.

Resources:

• NWMO Acknowledgement and Community Well-Being funding programs