More than 7,000 Nova Scotians have signed petitions calling on the provincial government to reverse its decision to lift the decades-old ban on uranium exploration and mining. The petitions were tabled in the Legislature Friday by NDP MLA Lisa LaChance.
The Houston government repealed the moratorium in March, opening the door for uranium exploration across the province.
Soon after, it issued Requests for Proposals in areas including Vaughan, East Dalhousie, and River John.
Petitioners argue the risks of disturbing uranium have not changed since the ban was first enacted in 1981.
Barb Harris of River John, one of the petition organizers, said her community sits near one of the proposed exploration sites.
“Once you disturb uranium, that’s when the dangers start,” Harris said. “It dissolves in water, it releases radioactive gases, and the impacts last for thousands of years.”
Harris said many residents were shocked to learn exploration could happen so close to their homes, wells, and fishing grounds. “People were hungry for information. They were very disturbed with what they heard, because it’s not like other types of mining — once uranium is disturbed, it can’t just be put back,” she said.
Opponents also argue uranium in Nova Scotia is low-grade and widely dispersed, making it unlikely to be economically viable while posing significant health and environmental risks. Harris said the government has failed to evaluate those risks.
“It’s reckless and irresponsible to repeal the ban without a proper assessment,” she said. “We are confident that if the science were looked at, it would show this is not the right industry for Nova Scotia.”
The petitioners are calling for at minimum a reinstated moratorium, and ideally a permanent legislative ban.
