Nuclear safety for all Canadians

Canada’s most highly regulated industry upholds a strong safety record

As Canada’s nuclear regulator, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has a mandate of nuclear safety, and the organization requires its licensees to be vigilant when it comes to all factors that could have an impact on safety. As a recognized leader in nuclear safety at home and on the international stage, the CNSC is committed to ensuring continued protection of the environment and implementing Canada’s international commitments.

A MANDATE BASED ON SAFETY AND PREPAREDNESS

The CNSC uses risk-informed, researchbased and scientific regulatory approaches to confirm that nuclear operators are upholding the highest standards required to be granted an operating licence. The CNSC ensures that appropriate controls are commensurate with the licensed nuclear activities and potential risks involved. Extensive oversight – which includes inspections, planned and unplanned, process and procedure reviews, and publicly discussed annual oversight reports – evaluates if licensees are operating safely and complying with all of their licence conditions.

PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Protecting the environment is fundamen- tal to the mandate of the CNSC. The CNSC assesses the environmental effects of all nuclear facilities or activities at every phase of their lifecycle. CNSC staff expertise includes highly qualified specialists in a variety of environmental disciplines including atmospheric science, surface water, groundwater, contaminant transport, and aquatic and the terrestrial environments, as well as geoscience, radiation protection and human health.