Canada Eyes Second Nuclear Waste Repository Amid Debate Over Reprocessing Future

Canada is launching a two-year public engagement campaign to determine the site of a second deep geological repository for high-level nuclear waste—even as the country remains undecided on whether it will eventually recycle spent nuclear fuel. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) announced that public willingness and technical feasibility will guide the site selection process, which is expected to begin formally by 2028.

While countries like France reprocess used nuclear fuel to extract additional energy, Canada currently adheres to a “once-through” fuel cycle, storing used fuel indefinitely. Nuclear engineering experts say the country has the technical knowledge to adopt reprocessing but hasn’t done so—largely due to economic factors.

“Canada certainly has the capability,” said Akira Tokuhiro of Ontario Tech University, “but even today, Canada is choosing not to make that commitment.”

In contrast, France reuses its spent fuel, and Finland has licensed a permanent repository with a retrieval option. Still, experts like McMaster University’s Dave Novog caution that the advanced reactors needed for reprocessing are not yet commercially viable, and any pivot should be weighed against long-term safety.

The new Canadian repository will focus on intermediate- and high-level radioactive waste, including byproducts from medical isotopes and reactor components, while used fuel from existing reactors is set to be stored at the first facility near Ignace, Ontario. The NWMO says geological safety, Indigenous consultation, and informed public consent will be core to site selection for the second project.

Swifteradio.com