Nuclear Energy Strategy announced at CNA2026

At the Canadian Nuclear Association Conference (CNA2026) in Ottawa, Ontario, on April 29, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson announced that Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) is developing a new Nuclear Energy Strategy for the country. The strategy, which is slated to be released by the end of this year, will be based on four objectives: 1) enabling new nuclear builds across Canada, 2) being a global supplier and exporter of nuclear technology and services, 3) expanding uranium production and nuclear fuel opportunities, and 4) developing new Canadian nuclear innovations, including in both fission and fusion technologies.

Seizing the global opportunity: According to NRCan, the government department responsible for policy on natural resources, energy, and minerals, the new Nuclear Energy Strategy "will focus on growing Canadian industry in order to achieve energy affordability and security at home while seizing the global opportunity of a global industry that is expected to grow by up to $200 billion per year by 2030. Working in partnership with provinces and territories, utilities, industry, Indigenous partners, and labor, a targeted nuclear energy agenda will help Canada expand our grid, electrify our economy, create thousands of jobs, unlock trade diversification opportunities, and secure our energy supplies at home."

In his address at CNA2026, Hodgson announced that the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND), is making an initial investment of $40 million in 2026-2027 to assess the potential of a Canadian-controlled microreactor to provide heat and electricity for remote, northern DND and Canadian Armed Forces facilities and operations.

Hodgson said, "Canada has long been a nuclear leader-but we will not remain one by standing still. Our government is moving at speeds not seen in generations to get big things done, and nuclear energy is no exception. We must move urgently and strategically to remain at the forefront of innovation, working shoulder to shoulder with key partners to bring clean electricity, affordable bills, and economic growth and security to all Canadians."

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories: The Canadian government is committed to spending $2.2 billion in capital investments over a 10-year period at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories' Chalk River Laboratories-the largest complex in Canada's science and technology community. These investments are for such projects as a new Advanced Materials Research Center and other infrastructure at the Deep River, Ontario, campus.

This funding will allow Atomic Energy of Canada, the Crown corporation that is contracted with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, to combine the capabilities of outdated facilities into a modern facility and laboratory research complex.

According to NRCan, the new facility will be better able to "support Canada's continued nuclear energy leadership, including for CANDU technology; nuclear safety, security, and forensics; small modular reactors; reactor fuel development; and supporting utilities with reactor life extension and reliability."

Other topics at CNA2026: A number of other topics were covered in the wide-ranging program at CNA2026, including regulatory efficiency, public opinion, Indigenous inclusion, the Center for Fusion Energy, new nuclear sites through 2050, collaborative project models, nuclear and AI, the nuclear workforce, diversity, and expanding supplier capacity.

Recent nuclear development was also highlighted, including Prime Minister Mark Carney's September referral of the Darlington New Nuclear Project to the Major Projects Office and investments of $6 million in 2025-2026 for the government's microreactor feasibility program, including $4.7 million for research and development at Chalk River Laboratories.