The decommissioning of Whiteshell Laboratories began in 2003, after the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission approved an overall decommissioning framework and then issued a site decommissioning licence. Since that time, redundant buildings have been demolished, and new enabling facilities for waste handling have been constructed.
The next major step in the plan is the decommissioning of the WR-1 Research Reactor itself, one of the largest and most complex facilities on the site. The proposal for that project has been sent to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission for approval.
CNL monitors environmental performance at the Whiteshell site and the results confirm continued responsible stewardship of the site.
Environmental Monitoring ReportFor the second year, CNL has developed a short Whiteshell Laboratories Environmental Monitoring Report summarizing key findings.
Aerial view of the Underground Research Laboratory during its operation. In November 2025, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) achieved a major......
Dennis Carr, CNL President & CEO, voices confidence in direction of Canada’s national nuclear laboratory following achievements in clean energy,......
Whiteshell Laboratories has retrieved two high-quantity cesium sources from standpipes in Whiteshell’s Waste Management Area (WMA). The Whiteshell team successfully......
