English River First Nation has agreed to terms with the federal government on long-term engagement over any nuclear projects near the First Nation.
The terms of reference were agreed to by the First Nation and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission in July through a virtual signing ceremony.
According to the government, this means there will be a structured approach for English River to engage with any approved nuclear activities of interest to them.
The First Nation will also be involved in environmental assessment processes as well and will be able to engage and collaborate on nuclear projects as they see fit.
This agreement is also said to include working collaboratively on the environmental assessment process for Denison Mine’s proposed Wheeler River project.
The project has been undergoing environmental assessments since 2019 with Dension submitting a license application for the site last year.
The proposed uranium mining and processing plant would be constructed in the Athabasca Basin, near Cameco’s Key Lake Mill, on Treaty 4 territory.
(TOP PHOTO: Cheyenna Hunt, ERFN Director of Lands and Consultation, and Clare Cattrysse, the CNSC’s Director of Indigenous and Stakeholder Relations, signing the terms of reference virtually in July 2024. Photo provided)