More than 70 municipalities are raising concerns about a plan to transport radioactive material along the St. Lawrence River, an important Ontario water source and recreation site.
Ontario nuclear company Bruce Power plans to use the waterway to ship 16 contaminated generators from the St. Lawrence to Sweden. In Europe, the metal from the generators will be turned into scraps. Radioactive leftovers will be sent back to Bruce Power and stored on site.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has given this plan a green light and says it is safe.
But many municipalities are worried about potential health and environmental risks. The Sierra Club and Canadian Environmental Law Association want the federal court to halt this decision.
Cornwall's mayor is among those voicing concerns.
"Millions of residents rely on this source of water in the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River for their main source of water," said Mayor Bob Kilger.
Some residents in the region have hesitations too, including area fisherman.
"It's too dangerous. I wouldn't fish if it's radioactive," said Andre Fontaine, who has fished on the banks of the St. Lawrence for 15 years.
The Akwesasne Mohawk Council is against the decision. It wants its territory to be nuclear-free.
"We don't really want nuclear or radioactive materials being transported through the area," said Henry Fickers, an environment safety officer for the Awkesasne.
The Akwesasne Mohawk Council said it has fought opening the territory to nuclear transport for years.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's John Hua
