May 5, 2015 – Ottawa, ON
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) will hold a public hearing in October 2015 in Ottawa, ON, to consider an application from the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) to release the hold point on the waste nuclear substance licence (WNSL) for phase 2 of the Gunnar Remediation Project. The project is located in northern Saskatchewan on the north shore of Lake Athabasca.
Following a public hearing in November 2014, the Commission granted SRC a 10-year WNSL. The Commission must approve SRC’s detailed remediation option plans prior to releasing the hold point, allowing SRC to carry out remedial activities as part of phase 2 of the remediation project. The Commission will accept only written interventions for the hearing.
Through its Participant Funding Program (PFP), the CNSC is offering funding up to $20,000 to assist members of the public, Aboriginal groups and other stakeholders in reviewing SRC’s detailed remediation option plans and submitting comments to the Commission.
The deadline for submitting a completed participant funding application form to the CNSC is June 19, 2015.
The CNSC regulates the use of nuclear energy and materials to protect health, safety, security and the environment, and to implement Canada’s international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy; and to disseminate objective scientific, technical and regulatory information to the public.
For information about how to participate, visit the Participate in a public Commission hearing and Participant Funding Program sections of the CNSC website. You may also view the CNSC’s Participant Funding Program video.
- The former Gunnar Legacy Uranium Mine site was operated by Gunnar Mining Limited from 1955 to 1963, in northern Saskatchewan. The site was officially closed in 1964 with minimal decommissioning.
- The former Gunnar Mine and Mill site consisted of open and underground mine pits, three mine tailings deposits covering over 70 hectares of land, and waste rock piles. Management of the site later became the responsibility of the Province of Saskatchewan.
- The Waste Nuclear Substance Licence will allow the remediation of the various site components.
Contacts
Aurèle Gervais
Media and Community Relations
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
613-996-6860
1-800-668-5284
mediarelations@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca