The Canadian government released its first-ever national nuclear strategy this week that aims to bolster the country’s nuclear lifecycle capabilities and ensure the nation is an industry leader. .
The Nuclear Energy Strategy, published Monday, was initially announced at the Canadian Nuclear Association Conference in Ottawa that took place from April 28-30 by Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson.
The Canadian government said the strategy is an energy and economic plan that accelerates the domestic nuclear deployment, strengthens the nation’s value chain and to bring a “high-value innovation ecosystem that underpins long-term national prosperity.” It said that it will seek to use available federal funding to de-risk these initiatives under the strategy.
Regulatory changes will also be explored to ensure federal processes are adequate for the pace of deployment laid out under the strategy, according to the document.
According to the release, the strategy will build on Canadian-made nuclear innovation, such as the Canadian deuterium uranium reactor – known as the CANDU reactor, uranium resources and workforce. It will be structured around four main areas:
- Enabling new reactor builds across the country.
- Being a global supplier and exporter of choice.
- Expanding uranium production and nuclear fuel opportunities.
- Developing new Canadian nuclear innovations, including fission and fusion technologies.
Canada seeks to have up to ten large reactors under construction in the near future. According to the strategy, the country wants two large reactors under construction by 2035 and five more planned or under development by 2040.
All 17 operating large reactors across the country are CANDU reactors. For CANDU reactors, Canada wants to have a modernized, cost-competitive CANDU design available by 2030.
In ramping up its pursuit for large reactors, Canada wants to demonstrate a Canadian-controlled Generation IV microreactor by 2035 and deployed to remote communities in the late 2030s. It also wants at least one nuclear reactor, including small modular reactors, operational or under construction outside of Ontario, Canada by 2035.
While pushing for more domestic reactors, Canada is also looking to grow its international market in the process. Through the strategy, the country aims to “win at least four new international CANDU markets by 2040 and engage six to ten new nuclear entrant countries over a fifteen-year horizon,” according to the document.
For the Canadian uranium market, the country has ambitions to strengthen its supply chains for all reactors in Canada by 2032. This includes assured access to enrichment services from allied nations. It also plans to double its uranium exports from now to 2035, which would be supported by new production entering service by 2035, according to the strategy.
Advancing the planned deep geological repository for used nuclear fuel is also a priority. Canada implemented its own version of consent-based siting for a waste repository and selected Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation and the Township of Ignace as its host community in 2024.
On April 10, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission invited the public to comment and review the Nuclear Waste Management Organization’s deep geological repository’s draft integrated tailored impact guidelines and draft public participation plan. This comment period ended on May 10.
“We are moving at speeds not seen in generations to get big things done and leveraging pre-existing strengths to become a modern energy superpower,” Hodgson said in a press release. “Canada has long been a nuclear leader — and we will continue to lead, under our new Nuclear Energy Strategy.”
“Together with all members of Team Canada, we are taking action to ensure we have a co-ordinated, strategic approach to diversifying nuclear industry exports and bringing economic growth and security and affordable, reliable power to all Canadians,” Hodgson concluded.