Canadians for CANDU campaign earns support from Oshawa’s Ontario Tech University

An Oshawa university that is home to the only accredited nuclear engineering program of its kind in Canada has energized its support for Canadians for CANDU, a campaign promoting made-in-Canada CANDU nuclear technology at home and around the world to help reach net-zero emissions.

Ontario Tech, a STEM-focused Canadian university, has its intellectual fingers deep in advanced energy research, with its nuclear engineering program rated third in North America for graduates at the bachelor level.

Named Research University of the Year for undergraduates in 2023 by Research Infosource, students learn in modern research facilities and classrooms, including the most-extensive nuclear power computer simulation of any engineering program in Canada.

The university’s energy research and expertise are helping drive Canada’s leadership in the global transition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Meeting the demand for skilled workers and leaders during this transition is paramount, said the President (Nuclear) of AtkinsRéalis (the trading name for nuclear construction giant SNC-Lavalin), Joe St. Julian, who thanked Ontario Tech for their support for CANDU technology.

“This growing movement can position Canada as a global clean energy champion, while promoting a domestic nuclear industry that Canadians can be proud of.”

With extensive partnerships and connections across the industry, Ontario Tech is a leading academic partner in the nuclear energy sector, both domestically and globally. In 2021, the university received designation as an International Atomic Energy Agency Collaborating Centre – the first in Canada – for its role in cultivating “the next-generation leaders in the nuclear industry. “

“Ontario Tech fully supports the Canadians for CANDU initiative and will continue to promote CANDU technology as a key component of our safe, reliable and affordable nuclear energy future,” said Ontario Tech President Dr. Steven Murphy, who added the campaign aligns with the university’s commitment to Canada’s energy and environmental future. “This new relationship builds upon our energy research and expertise, enhancing our role in advancing the nation’s leadership in the worldwide journey towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.”

CANDU technology – which uses natural uranium (known for its safety, efficiency, and versatility) – stands as a source of pride for Canadians and is the nation’s only domestically developed and licensed nuclear technology. The technology has also helped the country enjoy world-leading expertise in the design, construction, operations, maintenance, and program management of nuclear reactors, supported by a highly qualified supply chain.

Six decades after it was first developed, it stands at the centre of a Canadian nuclear ecosystem that supports more than 76,000 high-paying jobs across a wide variety of professional and skilled trades fields, as well as researchers at universities (such as Ontario Tech) and research institutions.

CANDU technology is also the only nuclear power technology that co-produces the medical isotopes that are used in cancer-fighting treatments and the sterilization of medical devices. The current CANDU fleet in Ontario produces 50 per cent of the world’s supply of Cobalt-60 – mainly at the Pickering nuclear facility – which is used for medical device sterilization.

Canadians for CANDU, which includes industry leaders, members of the domestic supply-chain, academics, and citizens who believe Canadian expertise and innovation has a role to play in nuclear energy solutions, is co-chaired by former Prime Minister Jean Chretien and former Ontario Premier Mike Harris.

The campaign, launched February 28, calls on the federal and provincial governments to support the only made-in-Canada nuclear technology on the market to help the country reach net-zero and support a thriving domestic nuclear ecosystem.

CANDU technology