Community invited to learn more about Canada’s national nuclear laboratories through public webinar discussing current projects and future plans
Chalk River, ON – January 17, 2022 – Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) are pleased to announce that they will be hosting a live public address next week to provide the community with an update on their progress to build a bright and successful future for the Chalk River Laboratories. The webinar will be accessible through CNL’s website and streamed on CNL’s social media platforms, and will discuss topics that include the revitalization of the Chalk River campus, as well as new and exciting projects underway in clean energy, public health and environmental stewardship.
Community Update
Monday, January 24
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. EST
www.cnl.ca/future
(English and French streams available. Opportunities to submit questions will follow the prepared remarks. Registration in advance is encouraged.)
Interested members of the public, Indigenous communities, elected officials and other residents and organizations are all encouraged to register for the webinar in advance at www.cnl.ca/future. AECL and CNL hope that the webinar will serve as an opportunity for the public to better interact and engage with both organizations, and learn more about the many exciting projects that are underway to grow the nuclear science and technology programs carried out at the site.
“At CNL, we have been working hard to position the Chalk River Laboratories for the future, ensuring that we maintain and expand our leadership position in key areas of research, while exploring new commercial opportunities,” commented Joe McBrearty, CNL’s President and CEO. “It is exciting to watch this vision take shape, and we want to share this progress, begin the discussion, and hear what people have to say about plans for the labs’ future. That is the goal of this webinar, and I hope people take advantage of the opportunity.”
“As a federal Crown corporation and owner of the Chalk River Laboratories, AECL’s objective is to advance the government’s agenda in the areas of climate change, health and reconciliation,” said Fred Dermarkar, President and CEO of AECL. “We are working with CNL to make this happen, and to drive nuclear innovation, create a state-of-the-art nuclear campus, and clean-up our legacy wastes. This webinar is a chance to talk about what some of what we have in mind for the future, and to hear from the local community and Indigenous Peoples about how we can work together going forward.”
CNL recently developed a new plan – known as Vision 2030 – that clarifies its long-term vision, and which charts its activities for the next decade. Among the projects CNL is pursuing is the siting of small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Chalk River campus; research related to the production and distribution of next-generation medical isotopes; and some of the largest and most complex environmental remediation projects ever undertaken in Canada. This is in addition to projects studying hydrogen energy, advanced nuclear fuels, environmental sciences, cyber security, radiopharmaceutical development, and a whole host of other areas of research.
All of this work is being conducted at the Chalk River Laboratories, which is being modernized through the revitalization of essential site infrastructure and a significant investment in new, world-class science facilities. This capital program is part of a 10-year transformation of the campus, funded through a $1.2 billion investment from AECL, the owner of the site, on behalf of the Government of Canada.
For more information on CNL, including details on the webinar, please visit www.cnl.ca. For more information on AECL, please visit www.aecl.ca.
About CNL
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories is a world leader in nuclear science and technology offering unique capabilities and solutions across a wide range of industries. Actively involved with industry-driven research and development in nuclear, transportation, clean technology, energy, defence, security and life sciences, we provide solutions to keep these sectors competitive internationally.
With ongoing investments in new facilities and a focused mandate, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories is well positioned for the future. A new performance standard reinforced with a strong safety culture underscores every activity.
For more information on the complete range of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories services, please visit www.cnl.ca or contact [email protected].
About AECL
AECL is a federal Crown corporation with a mandate to drive nuclear opportunities for Canada. Working with Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, AECL enables nuclear science and technology and manages the Government of Canada’s radioactive waste responsibilities. For more information on AECL, visit www.aecl.ca.
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CNL Contact:
Patrick Quinn
Director, Corporate Communications
1-866-886-2325
AECL Contact:
Maude-Émilie Pagé
Director, Communications and Government Reporting
[email protected]
