At the 2025 Women in Nuclear Canada Conference, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) showcased our ongoing work to safely manage Canada’s intermediate- and high-level radioactive waste in deep geological repositories and, in particular, the opportunities these projects will bring for future generations of women working in this sector.

Laurie Swami, President and CEO of the NWMO, joined a fireside chat alongside Lisa McBride, Country Leader for Small Modular Reactors at GE Vernova Hitachi, on the third day of the conference. Discussion topics included the NWMO’s work in the context of the conference theme: “Spark the future — generations of power.”

“Canada’s nuclear industry is experiencing renewed momentum. As this momentum builds, long-term waste management solutions like deep geological repositories are more important than ever," said Ms. Swami. “As we continue to move forward, we are focused on engaging with community members and youth to create opportunities for learning, sharing and understanding what their future will hold.”

The NWMO provided updates at the conference on the two national infrastructure projects we are implementing to safely manage Canada’s intermediate- and high-level radioactive waste. The endpoint for both multigenerational projects is the safe, long-term storage of the radioactive waste in deep geological repositories.

The first repository project, which will safely contain and isolate Canada’s used nuclear fuel, will soon move through the regulatory decision-making process. The project will be located in northwestern Ontario near the Township of Ignace, in the territory of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation. In 2024, both communities confirmed they are willing to support the project moving forward to the next steps.

The NWMO is in the early stages of designing the site selection process for the second repository project. That repository will be designed to contain and isolate intermediate-level and non-fuel high-level waste and potentially used fuel from new nuclear reactors built in the future. This spring, the NWMO invited Indigenous Peoples and Canadians to share input to help refine that second repository site selection process.

“I’m so impressed by the women in our industry and the talent I see at industry events like the Women in Nuclear Canada Conference,” said Ms. Swami. “We’re building deep geological repositories — the solution to safely manage Canada’s radioactive waste — and I’m excited for the tremendous opportunities these projects will bring for young people in our industry.”