On March 21, 2022, the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) was in Federal Court on behalf of Citizens Against Radioactive Neighbourhoods (CARN — https://www.nopellets.ca/).  CARN has asked the Federal Court to reconsider a decision by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). This Judicial Review has attempted to prevent nuclear fuel pellets from being made in a residential neighbourhood next to an elementary school.

The original decision to approve this change in operations came down on December 18, 2020. This decision approved a 10-year licence for BWXT to produce uranium fuel pellets at their facility located in downtown Peterborough on Monaghan Road south of Sherbrooke, just 25 metres from the Prince of Wales Elementary School playground. CARN sought an order from the Court declaring that the CNSC’s issuance of the licence was unlawful, and for the licence conditions allowing for this change to be deemed invalid and of no effect.

This episode was recorded on March 15 with Peter Harris, one of CARN’s organizers. Harris explains the approval process entailed in the potential certification of this nuclear manufacturing operation. He also reviews the health and safety implications of this operation for the community surrounding BWXT’s plant in the legacy GE Hitachi building on Monaghan Road. CARN was unable to identify any other nuclear facility of this type located next to a school anywhere. The Court’s decision will be announced anywhere between 2 and 6 months following the Review.