Canadian nuclear industry welcomes the federal government's strong support of the sector

OTTAWA, Oct. 10, 2017 /CNW/ - The Canadian nuclear industry is pleased with the Government of Canada's response to recommendations of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources' report on the nuclear sector. The government has recognized Canada's nuclear advantage by accepting all of the committee's recommendations.

The Government's response to the committee's recommendations outlines federal activities, program and engagement mechanism to foster innovation, increase coordination and support a strategic vision for the future of nuclear energy and nuclear science and technology in Canada.

"In particular, the Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA) is pleased that the government response directly and positively supports a number of key areas flagged by the CNA as important to the immediate as well as longer-term future of the nuclear industry in Canada," said CNA President and CEO Dr. John Barrett.

This includes:

• The government agrees with the recommendation that Canada's nuclear industry has a bright future and that an overall strategy could help guide future partnerships.
• The government agrees that nuclear energy is "an important part of Canada's clean energy and climate change initiatives, and beyond energy, the nuclear sector contributes to a wide range of other scientific and economic activities, such as medicine, human health and safety, material testing, food safety, even space exploration."
• The government acknowledges a role for nuclear technologies and operations in the implementation of federal programs for technology development and industrial support that cover the full innovation spectrum.
• Initiatives announced in Budget 2017 on federal support for clean technologies "could support nuclear energy technologies at different points in the innovation spectrum recognizing that nuclear energy is an important component of Canada's clean energy mix."
• The government will use its convening power to bring together a dialogue to develop a Canadian road map for Small Modular Reactors, starting with provinces, territories and utilities.
• The Government of Canada agrees with the committee recommendation that industry, along with academia and innovators, should establish a nuclear innovation council with representatives from the federal and provincial governments to leverage non-power applications (e.g., for health care, agriculture, manufacturing, etc.) of the nuclear sector for national benefit.

"The government's positive response comes just as Canada's energy community meets in Winnipeg for Generation Energy, a national dialogue on Canada's path to a low-carbon future led by Natural Resources Minister Jim Carr," noted Barrett.  "Canada's nuclear industry looks forward to working with the government at this important meeting on what's next for nuclear."

Nuclear power is absolutely critical to domestic and international efforts to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and address the threat of climate change, while powering economies with reliable, affordable and always-available electricity assets.

The full government response can be read here http://www.ourcommons.ca/content/Committee/421/RNNR/GovResponse/RP9142298/421_RNNR_Rpt05_GR/421_RNNR_Rpt05_GR-e.pdf

SOURCE Canadian Nuclear Association