Darlington review still incomplete despite OK from federal government

By Kaitlyn Mitchell, Staff Lawyer

Before Ontario Power Generation builds new nuclear reactors at Darlington, we want to ensure that your health and drinking water are safe. 

But last Wednesday, the federal government announced that it had accepted the recommendations of the panel responsible for completing the project’s environmental assessment— an assessment that we see as incomplete (Read the Toronto Star story here).

• Click here to learn more about the gaps in analysis and information that we found in the panel’s report.  

Greenpeace, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, Northwatch and the Canadian Environmental Law Association are challenging the report, alleging that a number of serious flaws and omissions may jeopardize Ontarians and Lake Ontario, a source of drinking water for more than nine million people. 

The groups, represented by lawyers from CELA and Ecojustice, believe that the project shouldn’t progress until those gaps in analysis, information and study are filled.  

The government’s decision means that Ontario Power Generation could get permits and licenses that would allow the project to go ahead even though the court hasn’t yet heard our case and reached a decision on the legality of the panel’s environmental assessment. It’s exactly what our legal action is meant to prevent. If the court decides that the environmental assessment is flawed, the panel will have to go back and get the answers Ontarians need. 

That’s why we believe it’s irresponsible to plough ahead with a nuclear project when its full environmental and economic costs remain unknown.