Pictou County council votes to ask province to pause uranium plans

The issue of uranium exploration landed in the laps of the Municipality of Pictou County council on Monday night.

Members were faced with two motions suggested by a member of the public related to the province's recent push for uranium exploration.

One motion called for council to request that the provincial government pause before granting any leases for uranium exploration, in order to give council and residents time to learn more about the potential impacts.

The other was for council to begin a process to protect the River John watershed and to ask the province not to permit any activities that would not be allowed in a protected water area.

Both motions passed, the first by a vote of 11-1 and the second by a 7-5 vote.

River John resident Barbara Harris brought the motions to council.

"Watersheds are not being protected adequately," she told councillors. "What does this mean for rural communities all across the province if we don't protect our water?

"And how does that impact all sorts of things — how does it impact agriculture, fishing, commercial fisheries, property values, all sorts of things? There's a lot we need to learn, and the next few weeks is not enough."

In a letter Harris wrote to council, she outlines concerns that uranium exploration can release radioactive matter that can harm the environment, including drinking water and living organisms.

Push for development

The Nova Scotia government has been prioritizing the development of natural resources in recent months, overturning a long-standing ban on uranium exploration and mining, lifting a moratorium on fracking and adding to its critical minerals list.

Last month, the province issued a request for proposals from companies interested in exploring for uranium in three designated areas of Nova Scotia — Louisville in Pictou County, East Dalhousie in Annapolis County and the Vaughan area in Hants County.

Many municipal politicians and property owners were surprised to learn that their areas were chosen.

A letter from the Natural Resources Department to the warden of the Municipality of Pictou County dated May 27 characterizes the potential for exploration in Louisville as "likely to take place."

'It doesn't hurt to ask'

At the meeting on Monday night, Pictou County councillors voted on the motions as an emergency resolution, since the council's following meeting isn't scheduled to take place until July 7, which is the date the province expects to announce successful exploration bids.

"There's not the time to fool around with this. This has got to be stopped," said Coun. Chester Dewar.

In an interview with CBC News on Tuesday, Coun. Ronald Baillie, who represents the Louisville area, said although he supported both motions, he's not confident they will actually slow the province down in its push for exploration.

"I think they have made a decision that they're going to move ahead with it regardless of what. But anyway, it doesn't hurt to ask," Baillie said.

Coun. Andy Thompson voted against both motions, noting that he didn't feel he had enough information.

"I think we need to hear both sides of the story. I don't think one side of the story is how you make decisions, so I can't support this motion," Thompson said.

Watershed protection is not without precedence in Nova Scotia. In 2022, the province approved a request from the Municipality of the County of Colchester to designate the French River watershed as a protected water area after the community and council raised concerns about mining exploration. The designation means the municipality can ban activities that could affect water quality, such as new garbage dumps or mines.

Next steps

Harris said in an interview with CBC on Tuesday that she is pleased with council's support.

"The ban that we've had for 44 years was arrived at through a very broad and painstaking public consultation and evaluation of the risks, and the ban was repealed without either of those things," she said.

"To me, a pause is the only responsible next step for the government to take, and having the backing of our council for that is really helpful."

Community members have planned a public meeting on Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the fire hall in River John.

The province has set a June 11 deadline for companies to submit exploration proposals. The government will evaluate the bids, and if there is a successful applicant, that will be announced on July 7. Exploration licences could be issued as soon as July 11.