At a “pivotal moment” for clean energy, the federal government has released a national Nuclear Energy Strategy.
Nuclear energy is “essential to powering Canada’s future,” according to the administration, and “key to a cleaner, stronger, more sovereign economy.”
The nuclear sector, responsible for 90,000 jobs, contributes 13% of the national electricity supply.
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson says the Nuclear Energy Strategy is a complement to the recently released National Electricity Strategy.
“We are moving at speeds not seen in generations to get big things done and leveraging pre-existing strengths to become a modern energy superpower,” the minister remarked.
“Canada has long been a nuclear leader,” the minister stated, “and we will continue to lead, under our new Nuclear Energy Strategy.”
Hodgson says that “we are taking action to ensure we have a co-ordinated, strategic approach to diversifying nuclear industry exports and bringing economic growth and security and affordable, reliable power to all Canadians.”
The Strategy is structured around four pillars, Hodgson explains. These pillars are Enabling New Builds Across Canada; Being a Global Supplier and Exporter of Choice; Expanding Uranium Production and Nuclear Fuel Opportunities and Supporting World-Class Long-Term Nuclear Waste Management; and Developing New Canadian Nuclear Innovations.
Through these pillars, the Nuclear Energy Strategy aims to attract investment through modern financing tools and strengthen Canada’s nuclear innovation and research ecosystem while maintaining “critical sovereign capabilities in key areas such as reactor technologies and nuclear energy supply chains.”
Hodgson notes that Canada’s deuterium uranium technology is used around the world, powering a total of 26 reactors across six countries, including 17 at home and nine throughout South Korea, China, Romania, Argentina, and India.
Canada, which produced 24% of total global uranium output in 2024, has been actively investing in the sector in recent years.