Evidence of meeting #33 for Natural Resources in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was cnsc.
A recording is available from Parliament.
NDP
The Vice-Chair NDP Richard Cannings
My name is Richard Cannings. I'm the vice-chair of this committee. Since Mr. Maloney is unable to attend, I'll be starting the meeting. Hopefully, Mr. Barlow will appear soon and he can take over after that. If not, I will later pass it over to Mr. Harvey so that we can continue. We want to get going on this. We have votes coming up later and we have four witnesses, so I think we should start promptly.
Perhaps, we can start with you, Mr. Binder, and we'll work across the table.
Please proceed.
Dr. Michael Binder President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Thank you and good morning, Mr. Chairman and honourable members of the committee.
My name is Michael Binder and I am the president of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
I'm joined by Ramzi Jammal, CNSC executive vice-president and chief regulatory operations officer.
It is a pleasure to be here today to discuss the future of nuclear in Canada from the regulator's perspective.
The CNSC is Canada's nuclear regulator. Under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, the CNSC carries out its threefold mandate: regulating the use of nuclear energy and materials to promote health, safety, security, and the environment; implementing Canada's international commitment on the peaceful use of nuclear energy; and disseminating objective scientific, technical, and regulatory information to the public.
The CNSC is an independent, quasi-judicial administrative tribunal. We regulate all things nuclear in Canada including uranium mining, nuclear fuel fabrication, nuclear reactors and power plants, the production and use of medical isotopes, the decommissioning and remediation of nuclear sites, and the safe management of nuclear waste.
I would also like to note that this year we are celebrating 70 years of nuclear regulation in Canada. Since 1946, the CNSC and its predecessor, the Atomic Energy Control Board, have safely regulated Canada's nuclear sector by continually strengthening Canada's laws, regulations, and licensing requirements, and by enforcing compliance by licensees.
Looking to the future, we see five key areas of focus that we, as the regulator, need to be ready for.
I'll start with refurbishment. As part of the 2013 long-term energy plan, the Ontario government committed to maintaining nuclear energy as the backbone of Ontario's electricity supply through the refurbishment of the Darlington and Bruce sites. The CNSC will be there every step of the way until the reactors are returned safely to service.
The second significant area is decommissioning. At the CNSC, we are ensuring that we are ready. The Gentilly-2 nuclear facility in Quebec has begun decommissioning. Also, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories has applied to accelerate the decommissioning of Whiteshell Laboratories and the nuclear power demonstration reactor.
Nuclear waste management is the third area where increased regulatory effort will be needed in the future. Internationally, consensus has been reached that deep geological repositories, DGRs, are the safest mechanism for the long-term storage of nuclear waste. Looking forward, we see two DGRs that may potentially be built in Canada: OPG's proposed DGR for low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste, and the NWMO, or Nuclear Waste Management Organization, DGR for used nuclear fuel.
The CNSC also regulates waste from uranium mines and mills. Our aim with legacy sites such as Gunnar, Lorado, Cluff Lake and Beaverlodge is to have them restored and released from regulatory management.
Finally, on waste, last week the CNSC held a public meeting in Port Hope, Ontario, at which a progress update was provided on an initiative to clean up historically low-level radioactive waste. After more than a decade of analysis and planning, on November 1, 2016, the environmental cleanup began with the first truckloads being transported to a newly built facility.
Next, at the CNSC, we are making sure we are prepared to regulate new technologies in a manner that is thorough while at the same time efficient and flexible enough not to be a roadblock to innovation. In particular, we have been preparing for small modular reactors, or SMRs. At the moment, five SMR vendors have engaged the CNSC in vendor design reviews to verify, at a high level, if the design meets regulatory requirements and to identify any fundamental barriers.
The last area that I believe will continue to take on an increasingly important role is the dissemination of information and public engagement on major projects. Today both the Canadian public and indigenous peoples have high expectations of the regulator and licensees to provide information early and continuously, to provide ongoing opportunities for engagement, and to be transparent in our decision-making processes.
This leads me to the next section of my talk today, how the CNSC is going to be ready for the future.
The CNSC has approximately 800 highly qualified staff, the majority of whom have degrees in nuclear engineering, chemistry, physics, and environmental and radiation science fields, to name a few. They operate within a strong safety culture, and their scientific and technical expertise enables the commission to make informed science-based decisions.
The CNSC also has a thorough environmental assessment process in place. As a responsible authority under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, we conduct the EAs, environmental assessments, for all nuclear projects. Our EAs are robust and translate directly into licensing requirements. Since 2000, the CNSC has completed 69 EAs.
At the commission, we work hard to foster public trust through ongoing communication with Canadians. Our website is populated with research, publications, and information related to the health and safety of Canadians. We also regularly participate in community events and leverage social media platforms to get our message out.
Furthermore, the CNSC is a leader in engaging with indigenous peoples. The CNSC is an agent of the Crown and has a responsibility to meet the duty to consult, and where appropriate, accommodate.
The CNSC is recognized as one of the most open, transparent, and respected nuclear regulators in the world. We are one of only a few nuclear regulators that conduct public licensing hearings and webcast the proceedings. Each year we produce reports on the safety performance of our licensees, which are made available for comment and are also discussed in public proceedings. To ensure members of the public and indigenous groups are able to participate, we offer participant funding to interested intervenors.
At the CNSC, we are committed to continuous improvement. A recent audit by the commissioner of the environment and sustainable development provided recommendations for improving the documentation of the nuclear power plant site inspection program. The CNSC accepted the findings of the audit and took immediate corrective action.
At the same time, the CNSC is making great progress in the modernization of its regulatory framework to make sure our regulations are clear, take into consideration the most current safety knowledge, and are flexible enough to address current and future requirements.
Let's be clear. We are the only regulator in Canada that subjects itself to international peer reviews of its operations. The CNSC has recently undergone three International Atomic Energy Agency reviews. The outcomes showcase Canada as a leader in nuclear regulation, with a strong emphasis on operational safety and security.
Our leadership role extends to the world stage as well. I'm really proud to tell you that our vice-president, Mr. Jammal, right here with me, was elected to be this year's president of the Convention on Nuclear Safety, an international group of member countries devoted to promoting nuclear safety standards.
The CNSC also regularly leads peer review missions across the globe. Recently Mr. Jammal led missions to Russia, China, and India. These three countries are seeing the largest growth in the use of nuclear energy.
There is no other industry that is so tightly scrutinized and regulated, with so many checks and balances for ensuring the protection of health, safety and security of people and the environment.
There are obviously new challenges and opportunities ahead. I believe the CNSC is well positioned to address them. I would be pleased to answer any questions that you might have.
Thank you.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative John Barlow
Thank you very much, Mr. Binder.
We'll now move on to Mr. Barrett.
Dr. John Barrett President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Nuclear Association
Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. Good morning.
The Canadian Nuclear Association is a national industry association founded in 1960 to raise awareness of the many benefits that civil nuclear technology brings to Canadians.
We would like to offer some insights into how nuclear technology can help Canada achieve ambitious climate change objectives, within the context of sustainable development; how we can use its innovative potential to improve the quality of life for Canadians; and how Canada's own brand of nuclear technology brings economic opportunities for communities and high-skilled jobs for those seeking a demanding but rewarding future in the nuclear sector.
First, nuclear energy generates about 15% of Canada's electricity and 20% of its low-carbon electricity. This is not well known. It shows that nuclear's capacity to deliver baseload, scalable low-carbon energy is a fact. It is not intermittent. It is not backed up by fossil fuels.
In Ontario nuclear energy provides, on any given day, approximately 60% of the province's electricity. Again, that is not well known. Without this contribution, Ontario wouldn't have had the generating capacity to substitute clean energy for coal and there would still be smog days in the GTA and southern Ontario. The Green Energy Act did not do it. Four reactors at Bruce and two at Pickering were brought back online and coal was finished.
Ontario has now embarked upon the biggest single investment in North America, possibly most of the world except for China, in large-scale clean energy. Twenty-five billion dollars in refurbishment of the 10 reactors will guarantee a significant supply of clean electricity to 2040 and beyond. This is a huge contribution to the government's aim to create a low-carbon economy.
The second point I would make is on sustainable development. Nuclear technology meets nine of the United Nations 17 sustainable development goals. Again, this is not too well known. In the interests of time I won't go through the nine, but I would like to highlight a couple of them. Goal number two is zero hunger. Nuclear science, through isotopic work, helps to protect plants and grow crops that are more resilient to disease and climate change.
Goal number three is good health and well-being. Nuclear medicine provides precise diagnoses and treatment of various cancers, cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's, and various infections. Medical cobalt is used worldwide for cancer treatment and radiation therapy, particularly for complex brain tumours. No other energy technologies bring so much benefit to people's health.
Goal number six is clean water and sanitation. Goal number seven is affordable and clean energy, and here, just to elaborate slightly, clean, reliable, and affordable energy is critical to the health and economic well-being of communities around the world and nuclear power provides that. At the same time, its consumption of fuel resources is very low. Its environmental footprint is extremely limited, certainly by comparison with other energy sources, both fossil fuel and renewable.
Like all energy systems, nuclear energy generation produces waste products, including fuel that still has energy that could be used. No other energy system takes care of its waste as nuclear does. It is controlled, managed, accounted for, paid for, regulated, documented, and limited in Canada to seven sites in total. What other energy system can claim this?
Goal number nine is in industry, innovation, and infrastructure. Here we've had mention already by Mr. Binder of small modular reactors. These represent an innovative approach to delivering clean electricity to underserved markets around the world. Meanwhile, nuclear innovation is providing a more sustainable way to travel through the development of lighter-weight vehicles, thanks to advanced materials made possible through neutron-beam analysis and testing. Lighter and safer cars means more fuel efficiency, fewer GHGs, and less strain on our natural resources.
On goal number 13, climate action, nuclear power is one of the lowest carbon sources of electricity on the planet. This is a fact recognized by all serious life-cycle analyses of energy systems. What's more, nuclear power is scalable and can produce rapid and real decarbonization in an economy.
France and Sweden, during the 1970s and 1980s, built their nuclear power systems rapidly, and as a result—it's documented—the decarbonization that occurred was an effect. While people talk about a decarbonized future, you can actually turn to real data and show how it's done rapidly and on a scalable dimension.
Goal number 14 is life below water, and goal number 15, life on land. Goal number 17 is partnerships for sustainable development. I'll just mention those as the tag lines.
A third point I want to mention is nuclear energy's economic impact. Construction, operations, and refurbishments provide good jobs and economic benefits. The supply chains are Canadian. The knowledge requirements are high. Studies by the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, and by KPMG and others, have demonstrated the important positive economic impact of nuclear power generation in local Ontario communities and beyond via the extensive supply chain; 60,000 direct and indirect jobs are a result of the nuclear sector. This, along with building, refurbishing, operating, and servicing brings made-in-Canada economic success to Canada, unlike other sources of energy technology, where the manufacture and the result in incomes and job benefits take place offshore.
Fourth, the nuclear sector is a strategic asset for our country. By that, I mean that no other Canadian source of clean energy has the same international impact as nuclear. Our technology expertise gives us the credibility and standing to play a strong and active role in international security issues. As I can personally testify, examples can range from Iran's nuclear program, the UN expert meetings on arms control and disarmament verification, and to negotiations on a cut-off of fissile material. Our bilateral relations with countries utilizing Canadian nuclear technology—China, India, South Korea, Pakistan, Argentina, Romania—have a qualitatively different character because of our long-term nuclear co-operation.
In addition, another little-known fact is Canada's nuclear technology and uranium exports have, over the last 30 years, contributed globally to the avoidance of at least one billion tonnes of CO2 in displacing fossil fuel sources. No other Canadian energy source can make this claim.
Fifth, there is an exciting vista ahead of us and within our grasp if we are bold and innovative. It is the possibility of bringing electricity and energy to remote indigenous communities in the north or in remote places far off the electricity grid. These communities need non-fossil energy resources sufficient to power electricity needs, as well as water purification and public health needs.
A very small nuclear reactor, inherently safe and simple to operate, would be a real option. That possibility is coming closer as SMR technology develops around the world and right here in Canada. Importantly, there is a key enabling role for the federal government in this endeavour to bring virtually limitless clean energy to remote communities.
In a recent paper on what we call “northern lights”, we set out the very stages of host community support, industry partnership, technology demonstration, and licensing that would ready SMRs for deployment within a decade. SMR development also has applications in the resource extraction sector. Mining operations, both current and potential, occurring in remote areas, would benefit enormously from SMR-generated clean electricity and heating.
Oil sands extraction requires enormous energy. Today that energy is provided by fossil fuels. Were steam to be produced by clean electricity from an on-site SMR, the situation would be dramatically changed. Canada's upstream GHG emissions would be radically reduced.
In all of these areas I've described, the single feature that unites them is innovation. To this end the industry is putting finishing touches on what we call a nuclear innovation, technology innovation, road map. This road map sets out the aspirations of the industry, and the policy and investment steps needed to continue and expand Canada's innovative nuclear energy future.
How can we best manage this ambition and opportunity? We are proposing the creation of a nuclear innovation council, with participation of industry and federal and interested provincial governments. Such a council would bring together key stakeholders to align the nuclear industry's technology road map, which I mentioned. We would align that to the Canadian energy strategy and to a pan-Canadian framework for clean growth and climate change, as outlined in the Vancouver declaration.
Moreover, it would give strategic direction to the nuclear sector's role in the government's “mission innovation” and the new low-carbon economy trust. We strongly believe that Canada's nuclear sector should be recognized and supported as strategic infrastructure and as a key contributor to the government's inclusive innovation. The aims and objectives of many of the government's important policy and investment objectives are, in our view, squarely met by the nuclear sector.
Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, we are bringing these ideas—the road map, the northern lights SMR project, the proposal for a nuclear industry council—to various stakeholders. We will be pursuing them at federal and provincial levels in the coming weeks and months. We hope very much that this committee would lend support to them and to the future of the nuclear sector, with all that it promises for our economy, our energy security, our environmental status, and our international engagement and leadership.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you today.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative John Barlow
Thank you very much, Mr. Barrett.
Now we'll go to Ms. Quinn and Mr. Sexton, for 10 minutes, please.
Richard Sexton Acting Chief Transition Officer, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited
Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee.
Today I'd like to give you a very brief overview of AECL and its role in nuclear technology, as well as a bit about its history, where it is currently, and how it contributes to the nuclear sector, nuclear energy, and nuclear applications across all of Canada.
Chalk River or AECL has been leading innovation for over 60 years. It's the largest scientific complex in Canada. It has 3,000 workers, many of whom are scientists doing research on a variety of elements and activities. It's the birthplace of Canada's nuclear industry. The first sustained criticality outside of the U.S. occurred there. Probably even more important, it's the birthplace of the CANDU reactor technology, with 19 reactors in Canada and 30 operating internationally. It also provided the research and facilities for breakthroughs in the application of medical isotopes, including cobalt-60.
AECL really is the heart of the nuclear sector. AECL has been doing nuclear research in energy, health, safety, security, and non-proliferation. Currently, the nuclear industry generates $6 billion of domestic product. As John indicated, there are 60,000 workers engaged in this industry. Canada has a large and robust supply chain that supplies both domestically and internationally. At its peak, the NRU reactor produced the material for over 20 million diagnostic procedures per year.
It's also the home of two Nobel Prize winners.
Regarding AECL today, as many of you may be aware, AECL has gone through a significant restructuring. Our mandate remains essentially the same: to enable nuclear science and technology to support both the federal government and industry. Our mandate is also to manage Canadians' radioactive waste and decommissioning liabilities.
AECL's mandate is now delivered through a long-term contract with the private sector under what is known as a government-owned contractor-operated, or GOCO, model. All the facilities, all the assets, and all the individuals—including the laboratory—are managed and operated by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. This model has been used both in the U.K. and in the U.S. and has been found to be quite successful. The GOCO model leverages international best practices. It brings rigour and efficiency, and it will advance the priorities of the nuclear laboratory.
Currently, AECL has an annual spend of just under a billion dollars. We are also in the process of delivering infrastructure improvements at the site, with a budget of $800 million, in the next five years.
In terms of AECL's focus, the Chalk River labs are focused on three areas. First and foremost is science and technology, specifically in the area of nuclear energy and material science, which is applied to a wide variety of industries, including oil and gas. There is also research in health, emergency preparedness, safety, and the environment, which is also applied widely across other industries.
As I mentioned, one of the focuses is decommissioning and waste management. I'll talk a bit more about that in a minute or so. I have already mentioned that the lab is currently undergoing a significant renewal with the application of $800 million in the next five years, revitalizing the lab.
The lab has a very wide set of science and technology applications. Most of them are related to the nuclear industry but are by no means specific to that industry. It does work in thermodynamics, in surface science, biological research. It does have the NRU reactor and works on advanced fuels and has a hot cell. As I mentioned, the lab is going through a significant renewal. There's a new hydrogen isotope facility, a recently opened multi-purpose science facility, and other facilities are being planned.
Regarding nuclear energy in Canada, as John and others have mentioned, Canada has a long history of safe and successful use of nuclear energy. It's one of only a handful of countries with homegrown nuclear technology, export experience, a strong regulator, a supply chain, and most importantly, a world-class nuclear workforce.
Nuclear energy is a low greenhouse gas emitting technology. It has a strong environmental record, a strong safety record. It has an independent regulator that's respected worldwide and as mentioned, it does generate some amount of waste but that waste is low in volume, it's well managed, it's rigorously accounted for, and it's funded. Nuclear energy provides a reliable, baseload electricity that complements other clean and renewable energy sources. This has been recognized internationally.
As John mentioned, significant investment is occurring in the nuclear industry with the $25 billion invested in the refurbishment. We believe this provides an opportunity to show the cost-effectiveness of nuclear projects being delivered on time and on budget.
On nuclear technology innovation, nuclear technology at Chalk River has been a springboard to innovation in multiple areas of the economy. The study of materials has direct applications to industry that need high-performing materials. The work at Chalk River also continues to support the nuclear industry in terms of continued safety, lower operating costs, life extension, and exports of the nuclear supply chain.
In summary, the Chalk River laboratory is a key element of not only the nuclear sector but the innovation and science and technology capacity across Canada. One of the emerging innovations is that around a very small modular reactor. Canada's expertise and experience provide Canada a unique opportunity. The application of this type of technology could serve a wide variety of potential customers, including the mining and gas industry. It could bring energy to the northern, more remote communities, and it provides an opportunity for export.
One of the challenges facing small modular reactors is the number of designs. We believe that the Chalk River lab could help advise both the government and commercial companies on the technology. Currently, there are over 100 different designs. We believe that Chalk River provides a site and the technology and the capability to find the best and the most appropriate.
Finally, on the topic of decommissioning and waste management, as I mentioned, AECL is responsible for the liability that Canada has, which is currently estimated at $8 billion. These liabilities are a result of 60 years of research, development, and production of radiopharmaceuticals. The point I want to make is that nuclear waste in Canada is understood, it's very well managed, it's highly regulated, and currently it's minimized to the extent possible.
As I mentioned, decommissioning is under way in Canada, and we have solutions for almost all the waste. The Nuclear Waste Management Organization is overseeing the long-term solution to used fuel and low-level and some intermediate-level waste at Chalk River. We're in the process of designing and securing regulatory approval for what we call a near-surface disposal facility.
There are currently two low-level waste management facilities being built, in Port Hope and Port Granby. There are decommissioning plans being put together for both Whiteshell and the NPD reactor.
In summary, we believe nuclear is a key contributor to low-carbon energy production. It has a strong environmental record in safety and it is complementary to other sources of energy. Canada has a strategic advantage with nuclear power technology. It has experience with both the environmental and economic application, and it has and could produce significant high-quality jobs. The Chalk River laboratory is a key element, not only to the Canadian nuclear sector but to its innovation chain and science and technology capabilities across the entire country.
Canada is very well placed to seize an opportunity as it relates to the small and very small modular reactors, but this will require investment from both government and industry. Finally, in terms of waste and decommissioning, work is under way. We understand the waste. It's accounted for and well managed and it's funded. AECL is leading the way to develop safe waste management solutions.
Thank you.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative John Barlow
Thank you very much, Mr. Sexton.
Mr. Oberth, I will finish with you for 10 minutes, please.
I understand you had an exciting travel schedule to get here, so we appreciate your getting here as quickly as you could.
Ron Oberth President and Chief Executive Officer, Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries
Thank goodness it wasn't exciting. It was very boring, but that's the way I like to travel.
First of all, my organization, the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries, represents the Canadian nuclear supply chain. We just surpassed 200 members a few weeks ago. Most of our members are SMEs. That's an important sector in our industry. They are located largely in Ontario, but we have some members in Quebec and in the west. Our members employ more than 12,000 people dedicated to the nuclear industry that our colleagues have described so well.
I thought I would address some of the nine questions that were sent to me last week without repeating some of the remarks that have been stated earlier today.
First of all, one of the first questions was about what challenges are facing our industry. I think the biggest challenge we face right now is to demonstrate superior project performance. One of the critiques of our industry over the number of years is that we haven't been able to deliver projects in a timely and cost-effective manner. We are now undertaking a major refurbishment project starting at Darlington and then following at Bruce. The Darlington project kicked off its outage on October 14, and it will be back into service on February 20. The oversight of that project by international experts has stated that it's the best planned project they have ever seen, so this is our opportunity to demonstrate we can perform, meet the budget, and meet the schedule in a safe and environmentally sound way.
The other challenge we face, and it has been touched on by others, is that there's generally a profound lack of understanding in the public about our industry. We have to, and will continue to, as well as we can, communicate that understanding, because I think with understanding comes trust. You find in communities around our nuclear sites in Bruce, Darlington, and Pickering, where there's a high level of engagement with local people, that there's a high level of acceptance and understanding of the technology.
On the international front, the big challenge we face is that we're competing with major international marketing organizations and vendor organizations that have strong resources and strong government backing. In order for us to succeed in this difficult international market, we need the support of government and we need export financing credits to help our suppliers.
I think those are the three major challenges we face. The opportunities have been touched by others. I think the huge one is, of course, the recognition everywhere other than in the White House that climate change is real and serious, and that there are plans under way around the world to combat it. As others have said, nuclear has a key role in that battle against carbon, which is a phrase I really like.
You have asked about the state of CANDU technology. It has performed very well in Canada, Argentina, South Korea, Romania, and China. The confidence in that technology was demonstrated by the Ontario government earlier this year when they committed $25 billion to refurbish 10 CANDU units at Bruce and Darlington to continue to provide clean energy to the province of Ontario.
Argentina and Romania are about to commit to further CANDU projects, and as you will hear from the SNC people, the advanced fuel CANDU reactor in China, with the potential to recycle uranium, is a very positive undertaking and it is looking very promising.
My organization over the last three years has led or received trade missions from eight countries. We visited or hosted delegations from Argentina, the U.K., India, China, Romania, South Korea, Poland, and the U.S.A. We are very active in those markets supporting not only CANDU technology but supporting the companies across Canada that are able to supply not only into CANDU reactors but into other reactors worldwide.
You asked about the future of nuclear R and D and innovation. We're very enthusiastic about the new structure of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories. I think the GOCO model, as Richard stated, has worked well in other countries. We think it will bring a more commercially focused R and D program, and researchers and decision-makers will need to see a line of sight from their innovation to the realization of products that benefit the people and the industry.
We're also pleased that there's been strong engagement between the laboratory and members' supply-chain companies across Canada, which are the organizations that can take the innovations that emerge and are incubated at Chalk River into real important applications to support our industry.
I'm now going to touch on the medical innovation in R and D. We were the first country to develop the cobalt-60 cancer therapy machine. That was demonstrated in Saskatchewan in 1952. This is an example where need drives innovation. With the potential closing of NRU, our colleagues at Nordion and Bruce Power are working together to develop another way to produce the kind of high specific activity cobalt previously produced at NRU. It's a way that has emerged out of necessity.
Another issue you raised was how the shutdown of NRU will impact R and D in the nuclear sector. Of course, it's disappointing to see an asset of that importance no longer being maintained, but it's causing our organizations to look for international R and D collaboration with other facilities around the world, facilities that can do some of the things NRU does to ensure that we continue to support our industry with constructive and valuable R and D.
I think Canada's nuclear waste management plan has been a very robust and internationally recognized one. I'm dating myself, because I can remember when the Canadian nuclear fuel waste management program was announced in 1978. That started research of over $1 billion on looking for solutions in deep underground facilities in granite rock. AECL built the underground research laboratory in my home province of Manitoba, which was a world-leading facility, attracting scientists from around the world, who came and did research at that facility. It's now decommissioned, but I think it established Canada as a world-leading organization in the field of R and D in high-level waste.
We've talked about the Nuclear Waste Management Organization and their very strong program of community engagement. They've travelled across the country, have identified now nine communities that are still interested in hosting a high-level waste facility. These communities have the right geology to support the facility, and they continue to show interest in that. I think we're also demonstrating world leadership in how we plan to manage our high-level waste.
Finally, you asked about the opportunities and the state of decommissioning. Canada actually has much more experience in nuclear decommissioning than we give ourselves credit for. Indeed, whenever we replace reactor cores—and we've done that at Pickering, Point Lepreau, and more recently at Bruce—we're actually doing a partial dismantling. We are surgically removing the internals of a reactor core and then replacing it with new components, so we have experience in that type of surgical decommissioning, which will stand us well when we look at the worldwide decommissioning market.
Sadly, it's not something that we like to see, but there are more than 20 reactors that are slated for decommissioning in the U.K. and the U.S.A., as well as domestically here in Chalk River, Pickering, and Gentilly-2. I think our industry, especially those companies with robotic capability, are very well positioned to capitalize on that opportunity.
In summary—and I'll just echo what others have said—Canada is indeed a tier-one nuclear nation. Our history goes back a long way. Chalk River really is an iconic location for the nuclear industry, of which we should be very proud, and are very proud. As a small nation, we have typically played in a much higher weight class in the nuclear industry. We will continue to do so. We hope that this committee will, in its findings, support the conclusions we hope we have brought to you today.
Thank you.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative John Barlow
Thank you very much, Mr. Oberth, and we appreciate your staying right on time.
Because time is a constraint, we'll try to move along as quickly as we can.
Mr. Serré.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you to our witnesses. I wish we had more time. We'll have to get you back here to talk to the committee, because I think we have a lot to talk about.
If we had more time, obviously the small modular reactor is very important, the safety, the nuclear waste management.... I'd like to mention that Blind River has a strong proposal. It's one of those nine sites.
However, what I wanted to talk about is a bit broader, because we really have four groups here, which is fantastic. When we talk about international competition, we're tier one and we have to compete internationally. What I want to ask the group here is.... I'm hearing a lot about silos. You're different associations and working...but Mr. Barrett mentioned earlier about a council. We have some of these parallels in the mining industry with CEMI. We have parallels in the oil sands with COSIA, and they look at more of a cluster ecosystem. I know we've heard the term “cradle to grave”, and I don't like that term, but essentially an ecosystem that incorporates R and D, innovation, operation, commercialization, and the supply and services.
Obviously, Canada is a world leader, as you all mentioned. We have the uranium here with the mining, we have the technology, we have the innovation with the staff and employees, then we have the export. We are seen as very credible. How can we expand on the 60,000 jobs we have here in Canada by looking at more of a COSIA approach, more of a council approach, so that you look at that entire spectrum of services? How can we support that?
Mr. Barrett, do you want to start, or do others want to comment?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Nuclear Association
Thank you very much. That's a very good question.
I'll just start with noting that about three or four years ago some of what you raised was appreciated by the industry, and there was a successful attempt at getting a very high level of CEO suite of our industry, which is a broad one. As you know, it goes from mining right through to the Chalk River site and the SMEs that Ron mentioned. It's a diverse group.
Nevertheless, it came together to establish what we called the nuclear leadership forum. Through deliberations, there was an identification of five different areas where the industry determined what needs to be done in order to keep that status that Ron was describing, whether you call it “tier one” or “in the top league”. That resulted in five action teams, which are still in operation. They don't fade away and they don't finish entirely.
One of them is very practical. It's on refurbishment, so it's a real focus on the importance of getting that job done. One is on innovation. I've been involved in that one, and there was an identification of the ecosystem you mentioned and trying to determine the ways forward. There's one on international. There's also one on human resources and the skilled workforce of the future for the industry. The other one is on waste management. Those are the five. That developed some very good work, because it brought the industry together from its diversity to focusing on these five key areas.
However, the one thing that's been missing is how we take this to government, federally as well as provincially, and not just Ontario. We've talked to Saskatchewan, and we're willing to talk to other provincial governments who may have an interest there.
That is why we are proposing an innovation council and a sector council. We don't have one like mining, automotive, and aerospace do. That would bring that kind of interaction, which then could really, I think, result in a strategic approach government-industry partnership, etc.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries
I'm going to add that I think you used the word “silos”. I don't think that's the right term. We would want to discount that.
The five of us at this table work together collaboratively. We've done trade missions together. There is a cluster. No offence to our friends from chemical, but the industry cluster is in southern Ontario.
As an example, building on what John said about the nuclear leadership, when we've gone offshore on some of our bigger, better, and more impactful missions, the trade missions have included SNC-Lavalin, which is the developer of the CANDU technology. We've had SMEs from various sectors supplying various components on the same trade mission. CNSC comes along on that trade mission to demonstrate their support for the industry. We've had operators, such as Bruce Power and OPG, on those missions. CNL and AECL have been on those trade missions. We have been blessed to have Kim Rudd on our trade mission to China and the provincial minister of innovation, Reza Moridi, was with us also in China and in South Korea.
When we go, we portray a unified, dynamic, and integrated organization. I think that's the way we are seen in the outside world. It doesn't mean we can't do better. We will continue to strive for that, but from the outside we're seen as a pretty dynamic and integrated team.
Liberal
Marc Serré Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
Thank you.
In the minute I have left I just wanted also to ask about the reference made several times to nuclear power being an energy source to help with our greenhouse emissions in Canada and worldwide. Can you expand a bit about that? How can we help as a government?
Anybody can answer.
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Nuclear Association
I'll take a stab at it.
I think that is a really important question. What we're finding is that there is a tendency—and part of it has to do with the public knowledge we've alluded to, the lack sometimes of detailed knowledge or familiarity with our sector and its contribution to clean energy—that there are discussions, and they happen here in Ottawa and other provincial capitals, where the discussion of clear energy is not including nuclear energy.
One of our really important, basic approaches, which we work on continually, is to make sure that the energy that's produced by nuclear power is brought into that. It is clean tech, and it is clean energy. This is perpetrated also on an international level. One of my staff is at the COP 21—
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative John Barlow
Sorry, Mr. Barrett, you might have time to elaborate on that with your next question.
Mr. Strahl.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll be careful to stay within the timeline.
Conservative
Mark Strahl Conservative Chilliwack—Hope, BC
Thank you, all, for coming today to talk to us about nuclear energy. We've just started this segment of our energy examination. I think we have touched on a number of things today. One is the emissions of nuclear safety, and public perception I think is a real issue. Many industries across the country that had for decades just taken their positions for granted are now finding out that they have to explain themselves. Sometimes that's a difficult transition.
I think people like us who are examining this know that the facts are on your side. It's a safe industry. It has benefits for clean tech. An evidence-based review would show that it's a good option for Canadians, but as we've seen, we're in this position where some of the organizations and individuals who are most in favour of addressing climate change aggressively would also be most opposed to an expansion of nuclear energy. I think that's the difficult position that nuclear finds itself in, which is that it is a solution to many of the climate change issues, but it also has that stigma attached to it even though it is a safe industry.
I wanted to focus on safety here. Certainly we've heard about small modular reactors. If we want to talk about moving those into the north for natural resource development or any projects like that, Canadians need to be assured that it would be safe. I think that's one of the things I wanted to talk about with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
As was referenced, there's been a recent report by the commissioner of the environment and sustainable development where she said:
We found that the Commission does conduct inspections, and when issues are found, they follow up to ensure compliance, and they do so 100 percent of the time. However, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission could not show that site inspections were planned in a rigorous and systematic way to ensure that they were sufficient—in both number and type—to verify that nuclear facilities were complying with all requirements. The Commission also could not show that it had allocated enough staff to carry out inspections, or that inspectors always followed procedures when carrying out and documenting inspections. For example, we found that three quarters of site inspections were conducted without an approved inspection guide. This led to inconsistencies, gaps in documentation, and missed opportunities to improve the way inspections are carried out.
This investigation by the commissioner was conducted as a result of a letter from a whistleblower, an anonymous letter.
The initial reaction, Dr. Binder, was for an internal investigation that said that the claims were exaggerated. They've since been verified by the commissioner. You questioned the letter's authenticity and suggested its contents were part of a conspiracy theory, according to Gloria Galloway of The Globe and Mail on October 12.
I want to give you the opportunity. You said you accepted the recommendations. What lessons have you learned from this experience? What specific actions are you taking to address those concerns, and what are you doing to ensure that future safety concerns are handled in a better way?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
How much time do I have, Mr. Chairman?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
First of all, let me start by clarifying that the audit was a scheduled audit. It had nothing to do with the anonymous letter, so let's not connect the dots here. The anonymous letter came way after the scheduling of the audit. In fact, the audit was almost complete when we got the anonymous letter.
Secondly, the key words regarding the audit finding are “approved inspection guides”. You have to understand that what the commissioner found and what we've accepted is that, yes, there's room for improvement in the way we document our documents. This is what happened. The inspectors had a draft guide. The draft guide existed for a long time. Everybody was comfortable with it. It was not formally approved. To be formally approved, it would have had to have been signed by two parts of our organization's science division. It was a sloppy oversight. It was an administrative oversight. It did not have any impact on safety. The moment we found out, we gathered all of the inspection and got it formally approved. We accepted it because there was no excuse for not having it signed.
That is what I'd like to focus on. The commissioner, herself, said that there was no time that she assessed an impact on safety. I can tell you that we are proud of our ability to inspect and assess the safety. We have many years of safety records. I would compare the safety records for our system to any other country in the world in terms of accidents, emissions, etc. Don't ask me. Don't rely on me. Look at the international assessment by peer review experts. Those international experts came to Canada and assessed our system. They gave us a very good mark for safety and compliance.
Conservative
The Vice-Chair Conservative John Barlow
Thank you, Mr. Binder. You may have further opportunity to expand on that.
Mr. Cannings, you have seven minutes, please.
NDP
Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
Thank you all, again, for being here today.
I will just perhaps let Mr. Binder continue on with that line because public confidence in our nuclear industry is, of course, of utmost importance to Canadians and to the industry. In some quarters, CNSC is perceived as, perhaps, more of a cheerleader for the industry than as a real, unbiased regulator. There were the incidents that we had over the summer, the whistleblower letter that suggested that there was a lack of due diligence on CNSC's part and the way that it was handled. At least some of the public media portrayed an internal investigation that was almost treated, in some ways, in a joking manner.
Don't you agree that the public confidence that Canadians need to have in CNSC is of utmost importance? Is there anything that you are doing in your organization to change that perception?
President and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Thank you for the question. It will give me an opportunity to clarify some things.
First of all, on safety and the public, most of the history of nuclear and people's fear of nuclear originated from the weapon side. People cannot disconnect the origin from the beneficial aspect. It's interesting when you talk to Canadians about isotopes. Isotopes are medical and they're good, but nobody cares about that.
NDP
Richard Cannings NDP South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC
I'm talking about the public perception of your organization as a regulator.
