Greater Toronto's Top Employers (2026) Magazine - Magazine - Page 98
98
( 2026)
SPONSOR CONTENT
The NWMO is building for the ‘very’ long term
P
eople just starting their
careers typically have
a choice. They can join
a fast-growing start-up
in a booming industry
where they have the opportunity
to advance – at least for now. Or
they can opt for the kind of
employer where they can expect
their job to be around for their
entire career. The Nuclear Waste
Management Organization
(NWMO) offers both: growth and
job security.
We are creating a longterm, multi-generational, sustainable solution
to a very real problem.
— Leigh Ann Layno
Vice-President,
Human Resources and
Chief Ethics Officer
Employees at the Nuclear Waste Management Organization have room to grow in their careers while
still maintaining job security.
“For young people who are
interested in making a difference,
our organization is on the
precipice of really great things. We
are creating a long-term, multigenerational, sustainable solution
to a very real problem,” says
Leigh Ann Layno, vice-president
of human resources and chief
ethics officer. “It’s something that
can literally be a lifelong career
choice. The work will be going on
for multiple generations.”
Established in 2002 to create a
long-term management solution
for used nuclear fuel from power
plants across Canada, the NWMO
spent two decades studying the
best way to manage the waste
and evaluating more than 20
communities willing to host a
deep geological repository. In
late 2024, it chose a site located
near the Township of Ignace in
Northwestern Ontario, in the
territory of Wabigoon Lake
Ojibway Nation. Now, funded by
the utilities that produce the
radioactive material, the nonprofit is shifting from talk to
action ahead of starting
construction of the facility in the
2030s.
“This year’s been monumental,”
Layno says. “We underwent a
significant organizational change
in 2025 to support the next phase
of our work, the regulatory
decision-making process.”
At the same time, the NWMO
offers its 250-plus employees
(working in roles ranging from
environmental science to finance)
competitive salaries and benefits
in an energy sector that is well
compensated. Fuelled by new
technology and the drive to
decarbonize, the nuclear industry
is undergoing a renaissance.
“We are part of the nuclear life
cycle, a really important part,” says
Layno.
Dorian Charette joined the
NWMO three years ago after
interning at nuclear producer
Bruce Power. He worked in
community engagement (at the
time, South Bruce was a contender
to host the deep geological
repository) before being
promoted to senior
communications officer last
year. He values the NWMO’s
commitment to environmental
sustainability, diversity and
Indigenous reconciliation.
“Our company is literally tasked
with protecting people and the
environment for generations to
come. It is at the core of what
we do,” Charette says. “That’s
something that’s really rewarding
on a professional level, to be able
