The Trudeau government wants additional information and further study of a proposed nuclear repository near Lake Huron, significantly delaying its decision on the controversial project.
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna wants Ontario Power Generation to provide additional information on three aspects of the environmental assessment including alternate locations.
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley, a vocal opponent of the Deep Geologic Repository near Kincardine, says he would have preferred an absolute no, but he "applauds the minister for taking a deep breath."
"The big issue is the fact that there was no other site looked at for a location by OPG, at least through the public process," says Bradley. "So I welcome what the minister has done, this could now go on for at least another year, but I think people should keep in mind there is no urgency to this, the nuclear industry has had decades to try to solve their own problem."
OPG has been asked to provide the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency with a schedule for fulfilling the information request by April 18, 2016.
Other information being sought includes the cumulative environmental effects of the project, and an updated list of mitigation commitments for each identified adverse effect under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
OPG's $1-billion underground storage bunker has won preliminary approval but still needs a green light from Ottawa.
The project would see hundreds of thousands of cubic metres of low and intermediate level nuclear waste buried at the Bruce nuclear power plant about 1 km from the lake.
-With files from Briana Carnegie