NWMO’s 2024 annual report highlights a year of progress and collaboration
Press Release
March 24, 2025
The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) has published our Annual report 2024: Creating the future together, encapsulating a year of progress and collaboration. The report highlights the historic milestone of selecting a site for Canada’s deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel, as well as the NWMO’s early advancements in implementing Canada’s plan for the safe, long-term management of Canada’s intermediate- and high-level radioactive waste.
“At the NWMO, we have an important responsibility to Canadians and Indigenous Peoples. We must work together to steward solutions to a complex and multi-generational challenge: safely managing radioactive waste for the long term,” said Laurie Swami, President and CEO of the NWMO. “We made significant progress in 2024, from selecting a site for Canada’s deep geological repository, to advancing our engineering and technical work in close collaboration with our international partners, to engaging with the public to continue to inform and shape our work.”
In accordance with the Nuclear Fuel Waste Act, the annual report was submitted to Canada’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, on March 24, 2025. As part of the open and transparent process required by the Act, the report will be tabled in Parliament.
Here are some key accomplishments from 2024, as outlined in the annual report:
- On Nov. 28, 2024, the NWMO achieved a historic milestone by selecting a site to host Canada’s deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel, making progress on a key commitment to Canadians and Indigenous Peoples to not leave this waste as a burden for future generations.
- Based on years of technical study and social engagement, the selected site met three clear criteria: it can safely contain and isolate Canada’s used nuclear fuel, used fuel can be safely transported to the site, and the site has informed and willing hosts, with Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and the Township of Ignace each providing compelling demonstrations of willingness for the project moving forward.
- We continued collaborating with international peers to advance repository design.
- We started developing a site selection process for a second deep geological repository for intermediate-level and non-fuel high-level waste and potentially used nuclear fuel from new nuclear projects.
- We reimagined the NWMO’s vision, mission and values to reflect how we have evolved as an organization and set the standard for how we want to make decisions and conduct ourselves moving forward, including continuing to walk a Reconciliation journey alongside Indigenous Peoples.
In addition to the 2024 annual report, the NWMO has released our latest implementation plan, which outlines our planned activities for the next five years (2025-29). The implementation plan is regularly assessed and updated based in part on public input. Members of the public can share their thoughts by filling out an online survey, available until June 6, 2025.
About the NWMO
Founded in 2002, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is a not-for-profit organization tasked with the safe, long-term management of Canada’s intermediate- and high-level radioactive waste, in a manner that protects people and the environment for generations to come.
The NWMO has been guided for more than 20 years by a dedicated team of world-class scientists, engineers and Indigenous Knowledge Holders that are developing innovative and collaborative solutions for nuclear waste management.
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