My honest answer is that it’s too early for me to take a firm position for or against a nuclear energy station at Wesleyville, and I want to explain why. The federal impact assessment only began in January, when OPG filed its Initial Project Description for up to 10,000 megawatts at the site. The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada issued its final guidelines in July, and OPG now has to produce a full Impact Statement to address each of their concerns. OPG hasn’t even publicly selected a reactor technology yet, and there is no confirmed cost estimate. I’m not prepared to commit Cobourg to a stance before we’ve seen what that process finds on cost, ratepayer impact, the environment, and the health of neighbouring communities.
Cobourg cannot sit on the sidelines of a decision this size. Port Hope has rightly had a seat at the table, but such a project at Wesleyville has the potential to affect our residents, our infrastructure, our housing market, our ecology, and our electricity bills too. In August, I brought forward a motion directing Town staff to take the initiative and get Cobourg into those conversations. I was inspired by the leadership Hamilton Township has shown on this.
Being at the table early means we can ask the hard questions you’re raising, including whether alternatives like solar, battery storage, and offshore wind are being fairly weighed. It also means drawing on the knowledge already in our community. Local groups like the Willow Beach Field Naturalists have years of active work at Wesleyville, and that expertise should inform how the Town understands the impact on Cobourg.
As Mayor, and as a member of Northumberland County Council, I’ll make sure Cobourg’s voice is in this process and that residents have the information they need as it unfolds.
