World-Changing Kids: Petition on Nuclear Waste Facility at Chalk River

CAFES member World-Changing Kids has put together a petition calling on the Government of Canada to revoke the licensing of the proposed Near Surface Disposal Facility (NSDF), an above-ground nuclear waste facility at Chalk River.

The NSDF would allow Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) to dispose one million cubic metres of radioactive waste only 1km away from the Ottawa River, presenting significant threats to the health of nearby wetlands, many endangered and at-risk species, drinking water, and the rights of the Kebaowek First Nation, who has led a series of judicial reviews against the NSDF with several significant wins.

The World-Changing Kids petition already has over 500 signatures, and every one counts! They are currently in talks with the office of MP Leah Gazan, Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre, to get her to read the petition in the House of Commons. They are also working with Justin Roy, Councillor at Kebaowek, on developing a presentation for kids and adults to present to their schools, workplaces and communities with calls to action to sign the petition and write a letter to the Prime Minister.

Most recently, David Suzuki and Tara Cullis signed the petition at their Stronger Together tour in Ottawa (see photo below)! CAFES attending this wonderful event along with many of our network members.

World-Changing Kids is showing that children and youth have the power to make the world a better place - not just in the future, but right now. Their inspiring efforts aim to ensure that we get the best solutions for the storage of our nuclear waste while protecting water, wildlife and Indigenous rights.

You can read the petition in full below, and be sure to sign it by clicking the button.

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Petition to the Government of Canada

Whereas:

• The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) approved the amendment to the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) license at Chalk River for the construction of a Near Surface Nuclear Disposal Facility (NSDF) without getting the free, prior, and informed consent to the consultation process of Kebaowek First Nation, as per United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and without properly following the Species at Risk Act;
• This NSDF would hold over 1 million cubic metres of nuclear waste - waste that could take approximately 300 years for the radioactivity to wear off, and would be built a mere 1.1 km from the Kichi Sibi (Ottawa River) - where 2 million people get their drinking water from;
• CNL has not proven that they considered all reasonable alternatives or justified why the chosen site was the best. CNL only looked at sites owned by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), without analyzing whether non-AECL land might offer advantages; and
• We should all be standing in solidarity with Kebaowek First Nation against this proposed NSDF on their land, as it poses a risk to the water, forests, animals and people.

We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to issue a directive under Section 19 (1) of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act to order the CNSC to revoke the licensing of the NSDF at Chalk River.