HomeMy WebLinkAbout2024-08-22
Electronic Council Communications Information
Package
Date:August 22, 2024
Time:4:00 PM
Location:ECCIP is an information package and not a meeting.
Description: An ECCIP is an electronic package containing correspondence received by Staff for
Council's information. This is not a meeting of Council or Committee.
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Pages
1.Region of Durham Correspondence
2.Durham Municipalities Correspondence
3.Other Municipalities Correspondence
3.1 Township of Nairn and Hyman - Transport and Deposition of Naturally
Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) at the Agnew Lake Tailings
Management Area (ALTMA) - August 21, 2024
3
3.2 Township of Stirling-Rawdon - Public Sector Salary Disclosure - August
21, 2024
6
4.Provincial / Federal Government and their Agency Correspondence
5.Miscellaneous Correspondence
August 22, 2024
Electronic Council Communications Information Package (ECCIP)
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August 21, 2024
Sent via email: premier@ontario.ca
The Honourable Doug Ford
Premier of Ontario
Premier’s Office, Room 281
Legislative Building, Queen’s Park
Toronto, ON M7A 1A1
RE: Concerns with the Transport and Deposition of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM)
at the Agnew Lake Tailings Management Area (ALTMA)
Dear Premier Ford,
I am writing to you on behalf of the Council of the Township of Nairn and Hyman and the Council of the
Township of Baldwin to formally submit the attached resolution passed jointly by the two Councils at a
Joint Emergency Council Meeting on August 19, 2024.
Our two Townships very recently learned of the decision to transport naturally occurring radioactive
material (NORM) from the former Beaucage Mine Site and Nipissing First Nation reserve lands and
deposit it at the Agnew Lake Tailings Management Area in the Township of Nairn and Hyman. The
decision to transport and deposit NORM has far-reaching implications for the environment, public
health, and safety of our communities, and this significant decision was made without any consultation
with our municipalities and the other municipalities located near Agnew Lake or along the Highway 17
corridor.
In addition to the participation of our municipalities in this Emergency Council Meeting, many
representatives from surrounding First Nations attended the meeting, underscoring the widespread
concern across our region about this impending project. The planned transportation of NORM is
scheduled to begin in the coming weeks, therefore we respectfully request your attention to this urgent
matter.
The resolution reads as follows:
RESOLUTION: 2024-EM1-2
DATE: August 19, 2024
MOVED BY: Councillor McVey
SECONDED BY: Councillor Cote
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WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Nairn and Hyman and the Council of the
Corporation the Township of Baldwin have been informed of the decision to transport naturally
occurring radioactive material (NORM) from the former Beaucage Mine and Nipissing First Nation
reserve land, and deposit it at the Agnew Lake Tailings Management Area (ALTMA) in the Township of
Nairn and Hyman; and
WHEREAS this decision has significant implications for the environment, public health, and safety of the
surrounding communities, including those within the Township of Nairn and Hyman and the Township
of Baldwin; and
WHEREAS the decision to transport and deposit NORM to the ALTMA site was made without any
consultation with the Township of Nairn and Hyman or the other municipalities bordering Agnew Lake,
resulting in the exclusion of local municipalities from the decision-making process; and
WHEREAS the exclusion of local municipalities from this process represents a serious breach of trust and
a disregard for the well-being of the residents of these communities; and
WHEREAS there are significant concerns among residents regarding the potential contamination of
drinking water sources, particularly Agnew Lake, which many residents rely on for safe drinking water;
and
WHEREAS the risks associated with NORM are well-documented, and the proximity of the ALTMA to
Agnew Lake heightens the concerns regarding the potential contamination of this vital water source;
and
WHEREAS according to information received from the Ministry of Mines, there are already some areas
of the ALTMA site where dose estimates exceed the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission’s regulatory
limit for casual site users; and
WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Nairn and Hyman and the Council of the
Corporation of the Township of Baldwin held a joint Emergency Council Meeting on August 19, 2024;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Nairn and Hyman
and the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Baldwin respectfully demands that the Province
of Ontario, the Ministry of Mines and the Ministry of Transportation immediately halt the project
involving the transportation and deposition of NORM at the ALTMA site until a clear line of
communication is established with local municipalities; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Nairn and Hyman
and the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Baldwin respectfully demands full disclosure of all
pertinent details regarding the proposed future NORM transportation and deposition plan, including
specific transportation routes, emergency response plans, safety protocols, and the future management
plan for the ALTMA site; and
THAT the Council of the Corporation of the Township of Nairn and Hyman and the Council of the
Corporation of the Township of Baldwin insists that environmental and health impact assessments be
conducted with input from independent experts, and that these assessments include opportunities for
public hearings to ensure transparency and community involvement; and
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THAT the Province of Ontario enact legislation that consultation with municipalities is a requirement of
any projects that include the transportation or deposition of NORM; and
THAT a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario; the
Honourable George Pirie, the Minister of Mines; the Honourable Prabmeet Sarkaria, the Minister of
Transportation; the Honourable Andrea Khanjin, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and
Parks; Chief Toulouse and Sagamok Anishnawbek Council Members; Chief Nootchtai and Atikameksheng
Anishnawbek Council Members; the Ontario Ombudsman; the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission; the
Canadian Environmental Law Association; MP Carol Hughes; MPP Michael Mantha; the Association of
Ontario Municipalities and all Ontario Municipalities.
CARRIED
For more information regarding this matter, please contact our municipal office by email at
belindaketchabaw@nairncentre.ca or by phone at (705) 869-4232.
Yours truly,
Belinda Ketchabaw
CAO Clerk Treasurer
Township of Nairn and Hyman
Cc:
Honourable George Pirie, the Minister of Mines
Honourable Prabmeet Sarkaria, the Minister of Transportation
Honourable Andrea Khanjin, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Chief Toulouse and Sagamok Anishnawbek Council Members
Chief Nootchtai and Atikameksheng Anishnawbek Council Members
Ontario Ombudsman
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Canadian Environmental Law Association
MP Carol Hughes
MPP Michael Mantha
Association of Ontario Municipalities
All Ontario Municipalities
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