Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon, everyone.
I am Fred Dermarkar, president and CEO of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, a federal Crown corporation that works to advance Canada's interests through leading-edge nuclear science and technology and environmental protection initiatives.
Our work at the Chalk River Laboratories led to the development of the home-grown CANDU nuclear reactor technology.
Today, we are a lean, flat, commercially-oriented Crown corporation that adapts to the demands of the market and the government and works with the private sector to achieve our mandate.
The Government of Canada is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, which requires all solutions, including nuclear technologies. AECL is investing in ways to apply nuclear technologies to help achieve Canada's goals, including CANDU reactor technology, which has proven itself as one of the top-performing reactor technologies in the world today, as well as small modular reactors.
Our recent work with McKinsey analyzed the potential role of nuclear and compared different reactor systems, including our very own CANDU reactors. The report prepared by McKinsey has been used to inform AECL's strategic plan and future work in support of the government's objectives to achieve net zero by 2050. This report underlined the significant potential of nuclear technology, particularly CANDU technology, to address Canada's climate change goals in the context of a focus on energy security, supply chain resilience and economic development.
Nuclear energy not only advances climate goals and provides energy security, but it contributes to Canada's GDP and employment.
The nuclear sector in Canada today accounts for 76,000 jobs across Canada and adds $17 billion per year to Canada's GDP.
We can leverage decades of investment in CANDU technology and intellectual property, create additional economic and energy security benefits for Canada, position the innovative next-generation CANDU for export, and cement Canada's leadership in an area that is critical to our future prosperity.
I am available to answer any questions that the committee may have.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.