Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Mandate and history

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission was established under the 1997 Nuclear Safety and Control Act with a mandate to regulate nuclear energy, nuclear substances, and relevant equipment in order to reduce and manage the safety, environmental, and national security risks, and to keep Canada in compliance with international legal obligations, such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. It replaced the former Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB, French: Régie de energie atomique), which was founded in 1946.

The CNSC is an agency of the Government of Canada which reports to the Parliament of Canada through the Minister of Natural Resources.

In 2008, Linda Keen the president and the chief executive officer of the CNSC was fired following a shortage of medical radioisotopes in Canada as a results of the extended routine shutdown of the NRU nuclear reactor at the Chalk River Laboratories.

Rumina Velshi joined the organisation in 2011 and in 2018 she became the President and CEO. In 2020 she also took on an international role for the IAEA becoming their Chairperson for their Commission on Safety Standards. She was appointed to serve for four years.

Programs

The Participant Funding Program allows the public, Indigenous groups, and other stakeholders to request funding from the CNSC to participate in its regulatory processes.

In 2014, the CNSC launched the Independent Environmental Monitoring Program. The program verifies that the public and environment around licensed nuclear facilities are safe, helping to confirm their regulatory position and decision-making.

References

References

1. (2017-01-01). "Consolidated federal laws of Canada, Nuclear Safety and Control Act".
2. Avery, Tim. (2008-01-15). "Government fires head of nuclear safety commission".
3. (14 April 2009). "Court upholds firing of nuclear safety watchdog head". CBC.
4. Safety Commission, Canadian Nuclear. (2014-02-03). "President".
5. Svela, Kris. (23 March 2022). "Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission renews Cameco Blind River operating licence".
6. (20 Aug 2013). "Skeena River missing from liquefied natural gas project map". CBC.
7. (2020-10-06). "Sampling near old mine sites finds 'no expected health impacts'".