– Check against delivery – 

Good morning, everyone. 

Thank you for that kind introduction. 

Before I formally begin, I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered here today in Ottawa on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe peoples. 

I’d like to respectfully recognize the relationship that the First Nations, Inuit and Métis have with the land and waters that all Canadians live on and enjoy. Just this past Monday, was the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. An important moment for National reflection and commitment to collectively advance reconciliation. Let us all take a moment to reflect and offer our gratitude to the Indigenous Nations and communities who are the traditional caretakers of these lands and waters.

As mentioned, I am Pierre Tremblay, President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, or CNSC, and as I approach 2 months in this important role, I couldn’t be happier to be speaking to you all today on behalf of the regulator.  

My 40 years in Canada’s nuclear sector have been very rewarding. My career has given me a deep appreciation and respect for the people who work in the sector and their shared focus on safety and the culture that supports it.  

My new role with the CNSC is affording me the opportunity to play an important part in the nuclear sector by serving the public in protecting Canada’s environment and its people. 

I am also eager to continue to advance the CNSC’s priorities of being Agile, Trusted, Global and Modern.  

The CNSC is a world class nuclear regulator and I’m honoured to be leading this organization through such an exciting period for the nuclear sector.  

For my remarks this morning, I plan to share my reflections and provide updates on how the CNSC is advancing its priorities, 

all while making sure we continue to strengthen our readiness for the future right here at home. 

Regulatory Readiness & Efficiency 

This is an important and interesting time for Canada’s nuclear sector. With a growing global energy demand, driven by electrification and our collective response to climate change, the potential for nuclear as a reliable baseload energy source is significant. 

Given Canada’s long history and expertise in the nuclear field, there is of course a strong interest in maintaining its competitive advantage, and to keep pace with countries that are heavily investing in nuclear. 

While the CNSC is independent and impartial, we are aware of and engaged with the external environment in which nuclear operates. 

The increased attention on and priority of nuclear – and in particular small modular reactors or SMRs – are important factors motivating the CNSC to ensure regulatory readiness and efficiency. 

We recognize the sector will continue to evolve and we will continue to do our job to support any advancements in the sector. That said, we will never compromise on safety. The industry must do the same. Together, we can all ensure the deployment of safe nuclear projects. 

In my experience the difference between a challenge and an opportunity is often a question of perspective. 

For example, the challenges presented by the potential deployment of SMRs provide the CNSC with opportunities to modernize. 

The possibility of broad SMR deployment requires us to be ready to manage multiple licensing projects – it also has the potential for each proposal to make use of different reactor designs, adding to the complexity of the review.

We are actively addressing the related challenges through our SMR Readiness Project, as well as other efforts which I will speak more on later. 

But turning challenges into opportunities isn’t limited to SMRs. 

We are addressing challenges at all levels to ensure predictability in the regulatory process. 

The CNSC is working closely with the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to respond to related actions from the Action Plan released by the Ministerial Working Group on Regulatory Efficiency for Clean Growth Projects in June 2024. 

While it is true that the impact assessment process has become more complex, the role of the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada is vital to Canada’s success. The renewed emphasis on nuclear in the pursuit of clean growth requires many agencies to play equally important roles.

At the CNSC, we remain committed to supporting the work of our partners and the Action Plan, while continuing to honour our own commitment of being efficient as the nuclear regulator.

Some of that efficiency comes from modernizing our regulatory framework. 

For example, in 2020, following extensive consultation, the Radiation Protection Regulations were updated to enhance protections for nuclear sector works, including accommodations for workers who are breastfeeding, and a lower annual limit for radiation doses to the lens of the eye. 

This is just one example where we have leveraged over 20 years of experience and advances in science to ensure our regulatory framework reflects our current and modern reality.

By necessity, this work is ongoing. The CNSC has already identified the need to consider how it will regulate fusion energy technology as it has a different risk profile than fission facilities and activities. 

You can expect a discussion paper to be published in the coming months to seek input from interested parties on our proposed approaches to regulating fusion. 

Communicating how we regulate – and our expectations for applicants – promotes clarity of both our requirements and expectations. 

Uncertainty in any enterprise can lead to investment and project risks. 

The goal of the SMR Readiness Project is to optimize our regulatory framework for SMRs and other new and advanced reactors, and to position the CNSC as an international leader in SMR regulation. 

So, what does this look like in practice? 

I won’t outline everything in this comprehensive plan but will highlight some of our activities in this area.

We are modernizing our regulatory framework for SMRs, and other advanced technologies. 

To date, the project has completed actions such as developing, documenting and implementing:

Perhaps most significantly, we undertook a full strategic review of the CNSC’s regulatory framework to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement to ensure clarity of requirements for SMRs, such as shifting from a prescriptive approach to a technology-neutral performance-based approach.

This includes proposed Nuclear Security Regulations that respond to changes in security threats and adapt to technological advancements. 

Several requirements in the existing regulations require the same prescriptive level of security for all high security sites, and do not differentiate between large and small nuclear reactors. 

This prevents licensees and proponents from using new security technologies or innovative practices that meet – or exceed – the regulatory objective to delay potential adversaries. 

The current regulations do not take into consideration a risk-informed approach or different technologies, sizes, locations and alternative approaches to address potential security threats and risks. 

And so, SMRs and other advances in technology continue to afford us the ability to identify challenges and turn them into opportunities to modernize and evolve.

In short, we’re doing our part and expect industry to do the same. 

It is easy to get distracted by what’s shiny and new, but we must all pay attention to our core work and responsibilities. 

We as the regulator will be watching and expect performance to be maintained as new technologies are sought after. 

Trust Building 

Public trust in the CNSC is critical to all nuclear activities in Canada. 

We need to instil confidence in Canadians that the regulator makes good, risk-informed, evidence- and science-based decisions that keep the safety of Canadians and the environment at the forefront of all that we do.

We do this by communicating with the public we serve – and by disseminating objective information to the public. 

These new technologies impact all of Canada and cross borders. 

And so we will continue to share facts and evidence with all Canadians, not just those in the traditional nuclear-host communities. 

The CNSC also encourages open dialogue through consultation and engagement.

As an agent of the Crown, the CNSC has a responsibility and obligation to meet its Duty to Consult and Accommodate when decisions that the Commission makes could potentially impact Indigenous or treaty rights. 

Our Participant Funding Program and Indigenous and Stakeholder Capacity Fund directly support consultation and engagement opportunities.

They ensure continued and meaningful involvement by Indigenous Nations and communities, as well as the public, in decision-making and regulatory processes. 

The CNSC has also prioritized relationship-building for many years, with a focus on understanding issues of interest and concern, and ensuring they are addressed whenever possible. 

When mutual interest allows, the CNSC strives to pursue terms of reference for long-term engagement, to support ongoing and respectful dialogue, engagement and collaboration with Indigenous Nations and communities. 

Most recently, the CNSC signed such arrangements with English River First Nation in Saskatchewan and Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation in Alberta. Making it the 10th and 11th such arrangements the CNSC has signed to date. These are important as they clearly commit us to ongoing engagement and collaboration with key Indigenous partners. These types of arrangements and life-cycle approach to engagement helps to build relationships and trust for the long-term.

Proponents also have the responsibility to develop meaningful, long-term relationships with Indigenous Nations and communities whose treaty lands, territories, and potential and established rights could be impacted by nuclear activities. 

Only through such efforts will they earn trust and support for their projects. 
 
The CNSC has outlined such expectations clearly in our regulatory document 3.2.2., Indigenous Engagement. 

This important regulatory document is currently being updated and we are confident that extensive consultation and engagement will result in improved requirements, guidance and expectations for all involved in the nuclear sector. 

International Collaboration 

I’ve outlined the importance of our consultation and engagement process here in Canada. I also want to underscore the importance of working together across borders to support the safe deployment of nuclear technologies. 

It is of the utmost importance that we collaborate and share key learnings and insights. Which is why I am so pleased to have Mark Foy of the UK’s Office for Nuclear Regulation and Christopher Hanson, of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission here with us today. 

International cooperation has far-reaching benefits for world-wide nuclear safety and helps to ensure a streamlined and safe deployment approach to these projects. 

I look forward to an engaging discussion at our panel – we met at the IAEA General Conference in Vienna 2 weeks ago and I know they are equally committed to collaboration. 

CNSC along with our colleagues in the US and UK have taken important steps to enable the sharing of knowledge and best practices to promote the safe deployment of nuclear technologies worldwide. 

But I must save something for our panel, so I will elaborate on our efforts further later this morning.

Other key considerations 

Without a doubt, the availability of competent, qualified and capable staff to deliver on projects in a timely manner continues to be an area that requires our collective attention across the nuclear sector.

To maintain organizational capacity to process the anticipated rise in applications to deploy novel nuclear technologies, the CNSC must optimize our workforce. 

As industry demands evolve, workforce demographics shift, and emerging technologies continue to gain momentum, it is crucial that we plan and ensure we have the right people, in the right roles, at the right time to achieve our mandate. 

It is equally important for the rest of the sector to build capacity as well. SMRs look to change the sector, moving away from traditional host communities and regions, as such, capacity must be built across the country to anticipate such change. 

Diversity, equity and inclusion play an essential role in our ongoing efforts in this area. 

While I myself may not have faced the challenges in my career that some have, I am very aware of the need to direct our energies and efforts to ensure diversity in the talent pipeline. 

This will let us engage the best and the brightest. Diversity, equity and inclusion are vital to fostering innovation, solving complex issues and improving our outcomes. It’s not just the right thing to do; it’s the smart thing to do.

Conclusion 

We are at a critical point in history. And we have lots to do. 

I can reassure you that the CNSC will be here making sure that safety remains top of mind for everyone. 

There is a strong foundation in place and a great deal of work already underway to ensure we are ready. I am eager to guide the organization as we continue on this journey.

We continue to work hard to provide clarity on our expectations and requirements. In turn, we expect you to deliver as well. 

This is a very exciting time for the nuclear sector, and I look forward to what the future holds. 

Thank you.