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Stop uranium exploration & mining in Eastern Ontario

Issue update:

(February 28, 2008)

Success! Council passes motion to oppose uranium mining and exploration in Eastern Ontario

Wednesday’s city council meeting marked an important success for the thousands of Ottawa residents who have joined together these past fewmonths to oppose uranium mining in Eastern Ontario. Council voted to petition the provincial government for an immediate moratorium onuranium exploration and mining in the region until all health andenvironmental effects related to uranium mining are resolved, and thereis a settlement plan for all related native land claims. It will also ask for a comprehensive public review of the Mining Act. Thank you to everyone who signed the petition to city council and wrote to councillors about this critical issue.

(Please Note: This petition has already been submitted and can no longer be signed)

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Background: The fight against uranium exploration in Eastern Ontario

One hour southwest of Ottawa near Sharbot Lake, a struggle is taking place as First Nation people and local residents take a stand against uranium prospecting. They have been watching with alarm as over 30,000 acres have been staked by mining companies for uranium exploration. According to the 1870s mining law of Ontario, prospectors can stake mining claims on most properties where the owners have only surface rights. Here in Ottawa, we need to get involved and support efforts to get a moratorium on uranium exploration and mining in Eastern Ontario.

What is the threat to Ottawa?

In Ottawa, we are down-stream and down-wind of this site. It threatens our land, air and water quality. The byproducts and waste from uranium mining are more hazardous than the uranium itself. Dr. Gordon Edwards, a well-known authority on the long-term hazards of nuclear facilities, has detailed the impact that a potential uranium mine in eastern Ontario could have on the City of Ottawa. Here are two of his concerns.

Downwind Radioactive Fallout

Mining uranium releases large amounts of radioactive radon gas, which is much heavier than air. The radon will follow the path of the prevailing winds in eastern Ontario, from west to east, depositing solid radioactive fallout (mainly radioactive lead and polonium) on a wide swath of land from Sharbot Lake to the City of Ottawa and beyond. Such radioactive deposits, entering into the food chain, will pose a gradually accumulating health risk to the population – especially children.

Downstream Transport Of Radioactive Particles:
The abundant lakes and rivers north of Sharbot Lake drain into the Mississippi River, which itself empties into the Ottawa River, upstream from the City of Ottawa. This is a natural highway for water-borne radioactive materials, which will end up in Ottawa's drinking water.

What are municipalities in the mining area doing to respond?

All six municipalities in the mining area (Lanark Highland Township Council, Lanark County Council, North Frontenac Township Council, Central Frontenac Township Council, South Frontenac Township Council, and Tay Valley Township Council) have petitioned the Government of Ontario, “to follow Nova Scotia's lead and initiate an immediate commission of enquiry and a moratorium against uranium exploration/mining in eastern Ontario.”

What should the City of Ottawa do?

City Council should pass a motion similar to that of the six municipalities near Sharbot Lake, to press the Province for a moratorium.

What you can do

1. Sign the on-line petition, asking Ottawa City Council to pass a motion similar to that of other municipalities pressing the Province of Ontario for a moratorium on uranium mining and exploration while the environmental impacts are studied. Ecology Ottawa will see that the petition signatures are available when the issue is debated in City Council.

2. Email your friends in the Ottawa watershed and tell them to go to http://www.ecologyottawa.ca to sign the petition.

3. Download and print a copy of the petition below. Collect signatures from friends and neighbors.

4. Write, phone, or fax your city councilor and ask them to support a motion for the City of Ottawa to formally request a moratorium on uranium mining by the Provincial Government. Find contact information here

5. Watch this short video to learn more and share it with your friends and family: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1HKXWJR02M

More information is available on the website of the Community Coalition Against Mining Uranium http://www.ccamu.ca/ which is an initiative of the local residents around the Sharbot Lake and Robertsville mine areas.

Ecology Ottawa is one of many groups participating in the Ottawa Coalition Against Mining Uranium (OCAMU) on this petition campaign. Along with others in the coalition, we are greatly concerned about the potential negative environmental consequences of uranium mineral prospecting and mining in the watershed of the Nation’s Capital. We are pleased to host the OCAMU petition on the Ecology Ottawa website as one of our contributions to this campaign.

To learn more about OCAMU, please read its mission statement below:

Ottawa Coalition Against Mining Uranium - OCAMU

Mission Statement

We are a group of Ottawa citizens acting to ensure that Ottawa's water, air and surrounding ecosystem remain free of the byproducts of uranium mining. Uranium mining would poison these basic elements irreversibly. Our goal is to raise awareness and request a moratorium on uranium mineral prospecting, exploration, and mining in the Ottawa watershed. We call on our local political representatives to fulfill their responsibility of ensuring a healthy Ottawa.

Uranium mining, nuclear power and nuclear waste are impossible to use in a safe manner. They are unquestionably destructive and unsustainable. These activities should not be permitted anywhere.

The personal risks that members of the Ardoch and Shabot Obaadjiwan Algonquin First Nations have taken in this issue must be recognized and supported. Their deep sense of attachment to Mother Earth and their commitment to sustainability has prompted them to take a stand from which all citizens benefit.

Download and print a copy of the petition here:

OCAMU_petition.pdf