CLARINGTON — There is a need to get the message to federal and provincial politicians that the area wants new nuclear reactors to be built here, a number of organizations seem to agree.

But, who should get that message across appears to be up for some discussion.

“I think, sometimes, too many vegetables ruin a good stew,” Regional Chairman Roger Anderson told Clarington council Monday night.

Council heard from Mr. Anderson that a number of organizations — the Durham Strategic Energy Alliance, the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, to name a few — have the ears of the right people, and can effectively get the message across about the desire for new reactors to be built here.

The Clarington Board of Trade and Durham’s Economic Development office are also working toward the same goal, council heard.

Councillors also heard from Rosemary Yeremian, chairwoman of the Ontario Nuclear New Build Council, a recently-formed group with connections to the nuclear and other industries, which aims to lobby for construction to get underway.

But Clarington’s mayor, Jim Abernethy, questioned if Ms. Yeremian’s organization wasn’t just a “splinter group” from the DSEA.

“We are absolutely not just a splinter group,” she said. “The members of our group are not all DSEA members.”

DSEA is a non-profit organization with membership from across the energy sector and the local government and educational institutions.

Ms. Yeremian’s group includes a number of labour unions and representatives from local business and academic groups, she said.

DSEA’s mandate “is much broader than nuclear new build or lobbying for a specific project,” said the group’s chairwoman, Jacquie Hoornweg. It tends to focus on bringing energy projects to Durham, fostering research and development and helping companies get into energy-related projects, among other activities.

The New Build Council is focused solely on getting the new nuclear reactors here.

“Our mandate is very temporary,” Ms. Yeremian said. “Our mandate is to make sure we have nuclear new build sooner rather than later.”

There could be benefit in working collaboratively, Ms. Hoornweg said.

“We are all playing for the same team, we all want the same thing,” she said. “It’s not about who’s doing the better job, it’s about getting the job done.”