As a result of their deliberations committees may make recommendations which they include in their reports for the consideration of the House of Commons or the Government. Recommendations related to this study are listed below.

Recommendation 1

The Committee recommends that the Auditor General of Canada conduct a public audit of Canada’s radioactive waste governance.

Recommendation 2

The Committee recommends that any research and development work related to small modular reactor (SMR) technology rigorously document and categorize in their analyses the radioactive waste that will be generated, and that a plan be developed to manage this waste as part of Canada’s Policy for Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning.

Recommendation 3

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada prioritize the building of a deep geological repository (DGR) and acknowledge that it is the safest way to store high level radioactive waste.

Recommendation 4

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada use all existing science on radioactive waste management and storage as the foundational component in decision making for future waste management projects.

Recommendation 5

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada invest in research in reducing, reusing, and recycling nuclear waste.

Recommendation 6

The Committee recommends that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and Natural Resources Canada, which directed the Nuclear Waste Management Organization to lead consultations on a long-term storage plan for intermediate-level radioactive waste, follow the International Atomic Energy Agency standards in their policies and practices, and provide clear rationale to Parliament and Canadians for any deviations from these standards that are deemed unavoidable.

Recommendation 7

The Committee recommends that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission:

•    follow the International Atomic Energy Agency standards in its policies and practices;
•    implement recommendations that were made by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Integrated Regulatory Review Service Audit that was conducted in 2019; and
•    provide clear rationale to Parliament and Canadians for any deviations from these standards that are deemed unavoidable (e.g., waste classification, in situ decommissioning), and that these justifications be documented and made publicly available within 30 days of sending to Parliament.

Recommendation 8

The Committee recommends that Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission be required to provide additional detail in Canada’s inventory of radioactive waste, such as source and level of radioactivity, and that this information be provided and made publicly available as soon as possible.

Recommendation 9

The Committee recommends that Natural Resources Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission work with Library and Archives Canada to ensure that the preservation of records reflects reports from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Nuclear Energy Agency’s Radioactive Waste Management Committee, such that they are maintained up-to-date and preserved for the hazardous lifespan of the waste itself.

Recommendation 10

The Committee recommends that Government of Canada work with Indigenous communities to co-develop a consultation framework that upholds the right of Indigenous peoples to free, prior and informed consent as set out in article 29.2 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Recommendation 11

The Committee recommends that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Natural Resources Canada, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (and its contractor, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories), and the Nuclear Waste Management Organization review their communications and websites to ensure

•    documentation and information on Canada’s radioactive waste are divulged in full transparency and easy to find; and
•    relevant technical documents are summarized for the layperson.

Recommendation 12

The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada invest in scientific-based public education initiatives on nuclear energy and nuclear waste storage.