This petition is a follow-up to petition 502 and expresses dissatisfaction with the federal government’s response to ongoing concerns about radioactive waste generated from the nuclear industry in Port Hope, Ontario. According to the petition, the government continues to fail at protecting the public by not proactively disclosing contaminated public areas and underestimates community health risks because it uses unrealistic exposure assumptions and inappropriate research methods. The petition requests that the government provide proactive disclosures of contaminated public properties to inform and protect the public.
The petition claims that an environmental injustice exists in Port Hope because of the disproportionate nuclear industry burden on that community. The petition asks whether Bill C-226 can be applied to the Ontario Power Generation’s new proposed nuclear facility at Wesleyville and can be used to cancel this new proposal. According to the petition, the federal government intends to speed up nuclear project approvals by giving the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission sole control over assessments, which would reduce the independence of the review and approval process. As a result, the petition calls for a national public inquiry into current and future radioactive waste management in Port Hope and other Canadian communities. The petition also requests an independent audit of the Port Hope Area Initiative clean-up project to ensure commitments are met and that residents are properly protected.
The petition states that there continues to be avoidance by the government has avoided any significant health monitoring of the effect of emissions and radioactive waste from 2 nuclear facilities on the people who have lived in Port Hope for decades. As a result, the petition asks the federal government whether they will fund ongoing health monitoring of Port Hope residents. The petition also requests that the government create legislation that compensates workers and communities affected by radiation exposure from the nuclear industry.