Ontario Starts Pre-Development Work for New Nuclear Generation at Bruce Power

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Ontario is starting pre-development work with Bruce Power to site the first large-scale nuclear build in a generation to help meet rising electricity demand with reliable, emissions-free power that will support electrification and power Ontario's economic growth.

Impact Assessment

New large-scale nuclear projects in Canada are currently subject to a federal Impact Assessment (IA).

The federal Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) would be responsible for leading the IA for a future new large-scale nuclear station at the existing Bruce site, with support from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) and input from Bruce Power. IAAC would undertake consultations with Indigenous communities and engagement with the public throughout the IA process.

Overall, a large-scale new nuclear reactor project is expected to require a lead-time of a decade or more from Impact Assessment commencement to deployment, depending on the time it takes to complete regulatory assessments and approvals as well as to undertake planning and preparation, procurements, construction, and commissioning of the reactor(s).

The Impact Assessment Act complicates this timeline with opportunities for the IAAC or Federal Ministers to pause the process without firm timelines to provide a final decision.

Ontario looks forward to continuing to work with the federal government as it develops a concrete plan to clarify and reduce timelines, minimize inefficiencies, and enhance engagement and partnerships on major project reviews. This is especially important for sites like Bruce Power's, which are among the most studied sites in Canada and have safely hosted nuclear generating units for more than 30 years.

CNSC Licensing Framework for Nuclear Generation Projects

The IA is the first step in a multi-year process for approving new large-scale nuclear power generation projects. Once the IA is approved, the CNSC requires a separate licence for each of the five phases in the life cycle of a nuclear power plant:

1. Licence To Prepare Site: Demonstrates suitability of the proposed site for construction and operation of the nuclear facility, allowing site preparation activities to begin.
2. Licence To Construct: Demonstrates that proposed facility design, manufacturing and construction conforms to regulatory requirements and will provide for safe operation over the proposed plant life, allowing construction phase of the project to begin.
3. Licence to Operate: Demonstrates that appropriate safety management systems, plans and programs have been established and the facility will operate safely, and all nuclear waste will be managed safely. Operating licences are subject to regular renewals (for example, every 10 years) based on a periodic safety review and compliance.
4. Licence to Decommission: Demonstrates the ability to safely decommission the facility following the end of commercial operations, remediate the site and safely dispose of and manage all long-lived radioactive waste from the facility.
5. Licence to Abandon: Demonstrates that the site has been fully remediated (e.g., using the results of environmental monitoring programs) and can be released from CNSC regulatory control.

CNSC employs a rigorous and transparent process, including public hearings, for decision-making on licensing of nuclear power projects, including public input and Indigenous consultations. CNSC also continuously monitors and inspects nuclear projects throughout the life cycle to ensure that they are complying with all CNSC licences and regulations.

Licensees must provide financial guarantees to cover activities authorized by the licences, including a guarantee that sufficient funds are available for the long-term management and disposal of all nuclear waste generated over the full life cycle of the plant.

Indigenous Consultation by Ontario

The Bruce Nuclear site is located within the traditional territories of Indigenous communities. Planning for new nuclear generation at Bruce will involve engagement with these communities to ensure Indigenous perspectives are understood and considered at this early stage.

The Ontario government understands the importance of consultation and participation of Indigenous communities in the successful development of new proposed nuclear facilities. In addition to the Indigenous consultations led by the federal government as part of its Impact Assessment process and CNSC licensing framework, as the project moves forward, it will be subject to consultation by Ontario regarding relevant policy decisions, provincial approvals and permitting requirements.

Federal Funding for New Nuclear Projects

The Ontario government will seek to minimize costs of nuclear generation projects for ratepayers, including working with utilities and the federal government to access all available financial incentives and funding opportunities such as the investment tax credits (ITCs) related to clean energy projects recently announced by the federal government. The Clean Electricity ITC would provide a 15 per cent refundable tax credit for eligible investments in nuclear generations projects, such as small modular reactors and large-scale nuclear.

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