Nuclear regulator hearings begin for proposed uranium mine in northern Sask.

WATCH: Saskatchewan's first proposed uranium mine in more than 25 years is making its case to federal regulators in Saskatoon.

The first uranium mine seeking regulatory approval in 20 years is the subject of multiple days of public hearings this week in Saskatoon, with environmental assessments and Indigenous consultations being a large focus of the hearings.

“It’s a chance to get everyone together for the commission to hear what it is that people are concerned about and be able to consider that in making their decision,” said Candace Salmon, the commissioner registrar for the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), the federal regulator of nuclear energy in Canada, is holding the quasi-judicial hearings at the Sheraton Cavalier Hotel until Thursday. These sessions are the second phase of hearings that began in October.

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The CNSC is responsible for safety of both people and the environment in Canada and in regulating the nuclear industry. The proposed mine in question is Denison Mines Corp.’s Wheeler River Project, an In-situ recovery method mine located at the southwestern edge of the Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan.

The hearings are one of the final hurdles for Denison to receive licensing and federal approval to proceed with construction.

“Almost a precondition to having one of these hearings is that you’ve gone through years of rigorous and robust review to assess the technical merits of your project and the engagement efforts you’ve gone through,” Denison CEO and President David Cates said.

English River First Nation, whose lands are located withing the Athabasca Basin, says Denison began that meaningful consultation almost 10 years ago.

Cheyenna Hunt, who has been in contact with the mining company for years, said English River’s relationship with Denison is vastly different than other mining operators in the area.

“Our history with the uranium industry partners has been one that I likened to an arranged marriage, where our nation never really got a choice as to whether those uranium mines got built or not,” she said.

“They were government-owned companies that were eventually privatized.”

She said from the onset of Denison’s intention to build a mine; it’s had Indigenous partners at the forefront of their considerations.

Hunt said plainly when she met Cates eight years ago, “You’re going to have to move me from no. Why do we need another uranium mine in our backyard?”

Since then, Hunt said Denison started by ensuring treaty and environmental rights for her people. That got her to a neutral viewpoint on the project.

After that, discussions about the benefits began. From protections to traditional land use, to training, employment and education, Denison worked for years to reassure the community the impact the mine could have.

“Denison rose to the task and worked together with us to achieve just that,” Hunt said.

Other concerns brought forward during Monday’s hearing were preventing water contamination, traffic on local roads and the process and technology the mine will use.

The Wheeler River project is located approximately 35 kilometres southeast of Cameco’s McCarthur River mine. Two high-grade uranium deposits have been found at Wheeler River: Phoenix and Gryphon.

Cates said the project could generate roughly $1.7 billion in income taxes and royalties. Between 300 and 400 people would be employed to construct the mine over two years, if approved, and the mine would permanently staff 150 people for 10 years of operation.

Denison says uranium extracted from the mine could supply enough electricity to power roughly one million homes for 100 years.

“It allows us to rely on this economic engine of Saskatchewan to support climate change. It’s often overlooked that resource development does not need to be at odds with climate change objectives — and this project shows that we can do both of those things at the same time,” Cates said.

A total of 16 presenters are scheduled to speak during the hearings. Once the hearings conclude on Thursday, the commission will take up to 120 days to come to its decision on preparing the site and issuing a license to build.

Cameco’s Cigar Lake mine finished construction in 2014 but originally received regulatory approval in 2005. Construction of the mine was delayed multiple times due to the mine being flooded.

NexGen’s Rook I is another proposed uranium mine with its CNSC hearings scheduled in February.