Algonquin leaders seek answers on toxic sewage discharge at nuclear lab
Algonquin leaders are de‐ manding accountability af‐ ter learning Canadian Nu‐ clear Laboratories (CNL) discharged toxic sewage at the Chalk River research hub along the Ottawa River this spring.
Chalk River's sanitary sewage plant failed an "acute lethality test" in February, meaning the effluent, or treated wastewater dis‐ charge, was found to be toxic to fish.
CNL was depositing the toxic effluent into freshwater at the site between February and April, violating regula‐ tions and prompting action from enforcement officers, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) con‐ firmed.
Kebaowek First Nation Chief Lance Haymond says he trusts neither ECCC nor the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to pro‐ tect his members from haz‐ ards - radioactive or other‐ wise.
"What is the toxic effluent in sewage being discharged since February 2024 at Chalk River?" Haymond asked in an April 30 letter to Environ‐ ment Minister Steven Guil‐ beault and CNSC.
The Algonquin leader, whose community is in Que‐ bec - upstream from the facil‐ ity - is calling for a nation-tonation initiative to monitor waste dumping in the water‐ shed.
"The impact of this noncompliance is deeply trou‐ bling," wrote Haymond, adding that it underscores the need for an independent watchdog organization that includes First Nations.
CNL said Friday it has a dedicated team, supported by external experts, working to identify the source of any operational discharges that may have disrupted the plan‐ t's biological treatment sys‐ tem, known as activated sludge, which will take some time to recover.
"The current focus of the investigation is on detergents or cleaning solutions used within the laboratories," the organization said via state‐ ment.
"The discharge from the sewage treatment facility does not pose a threat to the environment or the public. CNL can also confirm that this non-compliance is not related to radiological conta‐ minants."
The Chalk River site, 180 kilometres northwest of Ot‐ tawa, was formerly a leading producer of the world's med‐ ical isotopes before the na‐ tional research reactor's 2018 shutdown.
Historic incidents at the site range from accidents at the reactors in 1952 and 1958, to a radioactive tritium leak in 2009, among other mishaps.
Dylan Whiteduck, chief of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg near Maniwaki, Que., also ex‐ pressed little faith in the or‐ ganization to protect the Kichi Zibi, or Ottawa River.
"Perhaps a third party in‐ vestigation into other activi‐ ties is warranted and all im‐ pacted residents should de‐ mand accountability," he wrote by email.
Greg Sarazin, chief of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan, said he would support in‐ creased monitoring.
"The Algonquin Nation takes our role as stewards of the land very seriously," he said.
"We are not happy that there's anything that could be discharged into the envi‐ ronment that could be harm‐ ful."
Pikwakanagan is the clos‐ est First Nation to Chalk River and has a relationship agreement with CNL.
"We have eyes in the field and boots on the ground, and we expect to be fully in‐ volved in the entire investiga‐ tion, management and moni‐ toring of this incident - and any other incident," Sarazin said.
Nuclear commission criticized
In January, CNSC, the nuclear regulator, approved CNL's plans to build a radioactive landfill at Chalk River, putting a spotlight on both organiza‐ tions' capacity to protect the Ottawa River.
CNSC declined to com‐ ment on the sewage issue and referred all inquiries to ECCC as the department with jurisdiction. Guilbeault was not made available for an in‐ terview.
Kerrie Blaise, founder at Legal Advocates for Nature's Defence and legal counsel to Kebaowek, called CNSC's de‐ cision not to act part of a "troubling pattern" that raises questions about the watchdog's willingness to show its teeth.
CNSC's website says the commission is "responsible for evaluating how well li‐ censees meet regulatory re‐ quirements and expecta‐ tions." This, Blaise argued, means the commission could exercise its authority here but is choosing not to.
"There remains institu‐ tional, cultural dynamics within the CNSC where they are not being the watchdog that they ought to be and this unfortunately is another telling example of that," she said.
Haymond wrote in his let‐ ter that "the failure of the CNSC to inspect and issue an order against CNL in this in‐ stance" demonstrates why he doesn't trust it.
The CNSC falls under the umbrella of Natural Re‐ sources Canada, the ministry also responsible for Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, the Crown corporation that owns Chalk River.
The commission has pre‐ viously stressed its indepen‐ dence as a quasi-judicial li‐ censing body that makes de‐ cisions free from political in‐ terference and reports to Parliament through the min‐ ister.
Natural Resources Minis‐ ter Jonathan Wilkinson's of‐ fice declined to comment.