The Canadian Nuclear Industry and its Economic Contributions
The Canadian nuclear industry consists of a mixture of private sector firms and public sector organizations at both the federal and provincial levels and covers the entire nuclear energy fuel cycle from R&D, uranium mining, and fuel fabrication to nuclear reactor design, nuclear plant construction, maintenance, waste management and decommissioning. The Canadian nuclear energy industry is mainly concentrated in Ontario, but has a presence in Saskatchewan, Quebec and New Brunswick.
Of the 22 reactors nuclear power built in Canada, 17 reactors are currently in full commercial operation (two are shut down and three are being refurbished). They are operated by public utilities and private companies in Ontario (20), Quebec (1) and New Brunswick (1).
| Nuclear Station | Province | MWe | In service date | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickering A | Ontario | 4 x 515 | 1971-73 | OPG |
| Pickering B | Ontario | 4 x 516 | 1983-86 | OPG |
| Darlington | Ontario | 4 x 881 | 1990-93 | OPG |
| Bruce A | Ontario | 4 x 750 | 1977-79 | Bruce Power |
| Bruce B | Ontario | 4 x 860 | 1984-87 | Bruce Power |
| Gentilly 2 | Québec | 1 x 635 | 1983 | Hydro Québec |
| Point Lepreau | New Brunswick | 1 x 635 | 1983 | NB Power |
Source: NRCan
Nuclear energy represents an important component of Canada’s electricity sources. Nuclear energy currently provides around 15% of Canada’s total electricity needs (over 50% in Ontario) contributing meaningfully to climate change and other atmospheric emissions objectives, since it is virtually an emissions free electricity source. In Canada, between 40 to 90 million tones of greenhouse gas emissions are prevented every year through the use of nuclear power (assuming that the electricity would be generated by natural gas or coal, respectively).
Refurbishment projects are currently underway or have been announced in Ontario, New Brunswick and Quebec. There are currently no firm commitments from any province or territory within Canada to build a new nuclear power reactor. However, new nuclear build projects have been considered by public and private companies in Canada over the past several years. The actual number of new reactor units to be built will hinge largely on refurbishment plans for existing units, demand for electricity and economics.
The Canadian nuclear industry is a significant contributor to the Canadian economy in terms of GDP, government revenue, and employment. There are over 150 companies that supply products and/or services to AECL and the utilities. The industry is mainly concentrated in Ontario, and to a lesser extent in Saskatchewan, Quebec and New Brunswick. The most recent data indicated that annual employment (direct and indirect) associated with the nuclear industry in Canada was over 30,000.
The Canadian nuclear energy program makes a major contribution to our economy and society over and above energy benefits. It results in:
- an industry that generates revenues of around $6.6 billion per annum (this includes value of nuclear electricity produced which represents about $5 billion per annum, export sales (including CANDU equipment/service exports ($500 million), uranium ($500 million), medical and industrial isotopes and related equipment ($300 million)). These figures do not take into account the health and environmental benefits of nuclear technology;
- Federal and provincial revenues through taxes of $1.5 billion;
- 21,000 direct jobs, 10,000 indirect jobs (contractors to the industry) plus 40,000 spin-off jobs,
- Canadian companies are important global suppliers of medical isotopes. Canada also supplies 75% of the world’s supply of Cobalt-60 used to sterilize 45% of the world’s single-use medical supplies.