Canadian nuclear industry committed to “nation building projects”

The Canadian Nuclear Association welcomes Prime Minister Carney’s announcement at this week’s First Ministers Meeting that the federal government will introduce legislation imposing a two-year approval process for major nation-building projects, including nuclear projects. The CNA has long advocated for a streamlined “one project, one review” system, emphasizing the need for timely approvals to support job-creating infrastructure, economic growth, and Canada’s energy security and climate goals.

The Canadian nuclear industry is already fully engaged on a series of projects of national significance, across the full spectrum of what Prime Minister Carney called “the next stage of nuclear, from uranium, to SMRs, to large scale nuclear.” Ontario, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, and Alberta are all poised to invest significantly in nuclear to reap the benefits of energy security and economic growth, while lowering carbon emissions. This provides a rare, unifying opportunity to collaborate on energy policy across the country.

In support of the Government’s ambitions to rapidly build out energy infrastructure in Canada, the CNA has also called on the federal government to:

• Further attract investments in clean energy by, for example, expanding the definition of investment tax credits (ITCs) to include all nuclear projects
• Restore the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission as the sole regulator, leveraging its world-class expertise to conduct environmental assessments and Indigenous consultations for nuclear projects under the Nuclear Safety Control Act
• Develop a Nuclear Energy Strategy, including new and existing policies to support nuclear energy projects, including associated supply chain buildout, skills development, manufacturing, regulatory shifts, and financing mechanisms.
• Invest in workforce development, including by removing interprovincial barriers to allow the free flow of skills within “one Canadian economy”.
• Continue support for the production of medical isotopes, including through the development of a cross-departmental national isotope strategy

The CNA looks forward to continuing to work closely with federal and provincial governments to collectively capitalize on the nation-building benefits of nuclear technologies.