No more Pickering nuclear ’emergencies,’ please

At the helm: Greg Rickford is minister of energy northern development and mines

Demand that Premier Ford confirm a plan to decommission Pickering by 2024

From Greenpeace

Woken up by the Pickering emergency alert? Or (maybe worse) didn’t even get the alert?

Approximately one million people live within 20 kilometres of the Pickering nuclear power station.

Across Ontario people were reminded early on Sunday January 12th, in the worst way, that we have an aging nuclear power plant sitting on the doorstep of Toronto.

The only true protection from an accident at Pickering is to decommission this aging nuclear power plant.

Link to petition

In the wake of this scary SMS alert from Pickering, the Ford Government should confirm that it will decommission the Pickering nuclear power plant by 2024. And create a clear transition plan for the workers and the community, that includes investment in safe, clean energy.

You would think with millions of people living near nuclear reactors, that Ontario would have a transparent plan for a worst-case scenario. After Fukushima, many countries strengthened their nuclear emergency preparedness. Ontario has no detailed plans to deal with a Fukushima-scale accident at Pickering (Toronto Star, Dec. 28 2017)

Meanwhile…

January 13:

Doug Ford quietly extends life of controversial 49-year-old Pickering nuclear plant

January 14:

Last reactor at the Pickering nuclear station will be shut down within 5 years, says Energy Minister Greg Rickford