Implementation and Ongoing Development of a Comprehensive Program to Deal With Canada’s Nuclear Legacy Liabilities

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas Metcalfe ◽  
Pui Wai Yuen ◽  
Dave McCauley ◽  
Sheila Brooks ◽  
Joan Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Program Implementation ◽  
National Research Council ◽  
Nuclear Research ◽  
Public Consultation ◽  
Best Interests ◽  
Start Up ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada ◽  
Policy Direction

Nuclear legacy liabilities have resulted from 60 years of nuclear research and development carried out on behalf of Canada by the National Research Council (1944 to 1952) and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL, 1952 to present). These liabilities are located at AECL research and prototype reactor sites, and consist of shutdown reactors, research facilities and associated infrastructure, a wide variety of buried and stored waste, and contaminated lands. In 2006, the Government of Canada adopted a new long-term strategy to deal with the nuclear legacy liabilities and initiated a five-year, $520 million (Canadian dollars) start-up phase, thereby creating the Nuclear Legacy Liabilities Program (NLLP). The objective of the long-term strategy is to safely and cost-effectively reduce risks and liabilities based on sound waste management and environmental principles in the best interests of Canadians. The five-year plan is directed at addressing health, safety and environmental priorities, accelerating the decontamination and demolition of shutdown buildings, and laying the groundwork for future phases of the strategy. It also includes public consultation to inform the further development of the strategy and provides for continued care and maintenance activities at the sites. The NLLP is being implemented through a Memorandum of Understanding between Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and AECL whereby NRCan is responsible for policy direction and oversight, including control of funding, and AECL is responsible for carrying out the work and holding and administering all licences, facilities and lands. The paper summarizes achievements during the first three years of program implementation in the areas of decommissioning and dismantling; waste recovery and environmental restoration; the construction of enabling facilities to analyze, handle and store the legacy waste; and, planning for the long-term management of the radioactive waste.

scholarly journals Durability and Climate Change—Implications for Service Life Prediction and the Maintainability of Buildings

Buildings ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael A. Lacasse ◽  
Abhishek Gaur ◽  
Travis V. Moore
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Service Life ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
National Research Council ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Climate Resilience ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada

Sustainable building practices are rooted in the need for reliable information on the long-term performance of building materials; specifically, the expected service-life of building materials, components, and assemblies. This need is ever more evident given the anticipated effects of climate change on the built environment and the many governmental initiatives world-wide focused on ensuring that structures are not only resilient at their inception but also, can maintain their resilience over the long-term. The Government of Canada has funded an initiative now being completed at the National Research Council of Canada’s (NRC) Construction Research Centre on “Climate Resilience of Buildings and Core Public infrastructure”. The outcomes from this work will help permit integrating climate resilience of buildings into guides and codes for practitioners of building and infrastructure design. In this paper, the impacts of climate change on buildings are discussed and a review of studies on the durability of building envelope materials and elements is provided in consideration of the expected effects of climate change on the longevity and resilience of such products over time. Projected changes in key climate variables affecting the durability of building materials is presented such that specifications for the selection of products given climate change effects can be offered. Implications in regard to the maintainability of buildings when considering the potential effects of climate change on the durability of buildings and its components is also discussed.

Decommissioning of AECL Whiteshell Laboratories

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant W. Koroll ◽  
Dennis M. Bilinsky ◽  
Randall S. Swartz ◽  
Jeff W. Harding ◽  
Michael J. Rhodes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Research Reactor ◽  
Nuclear Research ◽  
Nuclear Facilities ◽  
Safety Research ◽  
Final Design ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada ◽  
High Level ◽  
Waste Handling

Whiteshell Laboratories (WL) is a Nuclear Research and Test Establishment near Winnipeg, Canada, operated by AECL since the early 1960s and now under decommissioning. WL occupies approximately 4400 hectares of land and employed more than 1000 staff up to the late-1990s, when the closure decision was made. Nuclear facilities at WL included a research reactor, hot cell facilities and radiochemical laboratories. Programs carried out at the WL site included high level nuclear fuel waste management research, reactor safety research, nuclear materials research, accelerator technology, biophysics, and industrial radiation applications. In preparation for decommissioning, a comprehensive environmental assessment was successfully completed [1] and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission issued a six-year decommissioning licence for WL starting in 2003 — the first decommissioning licence issued for a Nuclear Research and Test Establishment in Canada. This paper describes the progress in this first six-year licence period. A significant development in 2006 was the establishment of the Nuclear Legacy Liabilities Program (NLLP), by the Government of Canada, to safely and cost effectively reduce, and eventually eliminate the nuclear legacy liabilities and associated risks, using sound waste management and environmental principles. The NLLP endorsed an accelerated approach to WL Decommissioning, which meant advancing the full decommissioning of buildings and facilities that had originally been planned to be decontaminated and prepared for storage-with-surveillance. As well the NLLP endorsed the construction of enabling facilities — facilities that employ modern waste handling and storage technology on a scale needed for full decommissioning of the large radiochemical laboratories and other nuclear facilities. The decommissioning work and the design and construction of enabling facilities are fully underway. Several redundant non-nuclear buildings have been removed and redundant nuclear facilities are being decontaminated and prepared for demolition. Along with decommissioning of redundant structures, site utilities are being decommissioned and reconfigured to reduce site operating costs. New waste handling and waste clearance facilities have been commissioned and a large shielded modular above ground storage (SMAGS) structure is in final design in preparation for construction in 2010. The eventual goal is full decommissioning of all facilities and infrastructure and removal of stored wastes from the site.

Exploring Indian post-disaster temporary housing strategy through a comparative review

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arindam Biswas
Keyword(s):  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Homeless People ◽  
Public Consultation ◽  
Temporary Housing ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Comparative Review ◽  
The Government ◽  
Post Disaster

Purpose Natural disasters not only cause dilapidated buildings and damaged infrastructure but also delay crucial aid for those affected in the event of a disaster and post-disaster recovery. An institutionally well-managed post-disaster housing strategy provides opportunities for physical and mental healing of its occupant. The time requires occupiers to remain in the temporary housing varies with circumstances. This paper aims to review post-disaster housing scenarios in India in comparison to two Asian cases from Indonesia and Japan. The study focuses on understanding Indian post-disaster housing strategies through a comparative review. Design/methodology/approach The research selects coastal cities of Tamil Nadu state, where the post-disaster temporary shelter and rehabilitation was planned and implemented after the Tsunami in 2004. The Tsunami created havoc in Nagapattinam and Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu. Nagapattinam district reported 6,051 fatalities and many more homeless people. After the Tsunami, the government took measures to supply safe, secured and on-site shelter provisions. Surprisingly, many such shelters were never occupied. In many instances, people actually preferred to spend years in a temporary shelter rather occupying government housing. This paper evaluates such events and investigates India’s post-disaster shelter strategy against the derived best practices. This study is based on the sequential/logical reasoning and understanding of the facts. Discussions and findings from this study can be further generalised into a comprehensive policy discussion. Findings The paper finds that the manner of planning and design of post-disaster housing programmes influence medium- to long-term recovery of its occupant. A certain element of trade-off between implementation and quality of habitation results into compromises to achieving the desired outcome. When faced with socio-political, economic and financial constraints, the decision-makers are required to make trade-offs in deciding the manner and quantum of allocating resources. Coordination among these agencies is troublesome. It is true for all countries and there is no distinct answer to it. Public consultation and community participation in long-term rehabilitation are crucial to meet the aspiration of the local people. Originality/value The paper contributes in discussing a comparison of post-disaster housing rehabilitation between India and the two cases from Indonesia and Japan. As a review paper, the objective is to highlight the synthesis and overall understanding of post-disaster housing strategies from two cases and compare it with India.

OTESSA's Submission for the Government of Canada's Federal Pre-Budget Consultations

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
OTESSA
Keyword(s):  
Federal Government ◽  
Federal Budget ◽  
Public Consultation ◽  
Technology In Education ◽  
Education Society ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada

Governments have the opportunity to influence policy in education and to facilitate funding to support its implementation. This document contains seven recommendations made to the Government of Canada as part of its public consultation in developing its federal budget. It was developed with input from both members and public contributors involved with the Open/Technology in Education, Society, and Scholarship Association (OTESSA), then submitted to the Canadian federal government in August of 2021. The document was originally posted on a blog post on the OTESSA website at https://otessa.org

How Well Is Cannabis Legalization Curtailing the Illegal Market? A Multi-wave Analysis of Canada’s National Cannabis Survey

2021 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 307-336
Author(s):  
Andrew D. Hathaway ◽  
Greggory Cullen ◽  
David Walters
Keyword(s):  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Recent Change ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Supply Source ◽  
Illegal Market ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada ◽  
Dramatic Shift ◽  
Policy Direction

In 2018, the government of Canada legalized cannabis for non-medical use. In addition to safeguarding public health, the main objective was to divert profits from the illicit market and restricting its availability to youth. This dramatic shift in policy direction introduces new challenges for the criminal justice system due to the persistence of unlawful distribution among persons who refuse to abide by the new law. Continuing unlawful distribution is foreseeable, in part, because of stringent measures to reduce availability by targeting participants in the illegal market. Recognizing that the most heavy, frequent, users account for the majority of cannabis consumed—and are the group most likely to keep purchasing from dealers because of lower costs and easy access—the illegal market will continue to provide a substantial (albeit unknown) proportion of the total volume. The recent change in policy in Canada provides new opportunities for research to assess how legalization of cannabis affects its use and distribution patterns. The National Cannabis Survey (NCS), administered at three-month intervals, allows for multi-wave comparison of prevalence statistics and point of purchase information before and after legalization. Drawing on the NCS, this article examines the extent to which the primary supply source has changed across the provinces, controlling for other factors and consumer characteristics. Findings are interpreted with reference to studies of cannabis law reform in North America informing research and policy observers in these and other jurisdictions, undergoing or considering, similar reforms.

Canada’s emerging foresight landscape: observations and lessons

foresight ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 551-562
Author(s):  
Alex Wilner ◽  
Martin Roy
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Challenges ◽  
Policy Foresight ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada ◽  
Global Affairs ◽  
Federal Public Service

Purpose The purpose of this paper is twofold: to introduce scholars and practitioners of foresight to the emerging Canadian foresight ecosystem, and to provide lessons learned on developing policy foresight from the Government of Canada context. Design/methodology/approach The paper provides a series of lessons based in part on informal and indirect observations and engagement with established Canadian foresight entities, including Policy Horizons Canada, and numerous newly established foresight initiatives at Global Affairs Canada, Standards Council of Canada and the Canadian Forest Service. Findings The paper finds that Canada’s newly emerging foresight units and initiatives face structural, institutional and organizational challenges to their long-term success, including in concretely measuring foresight outcome (rather than simply output) in policy making. Originality/value The paper provides a unique and empirically driven perspective of the foresight ecosystem that has emerged within the Canadian federal public service since 2015. Lessons are culled from this emerging network of Canadian foresight practitioners for international application.

Planning for the Recreational End Use of a Future LLR Waste Mound in Canada: Leaving an Honourable Legacy

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. R. Kleb ◽  
R. L. Zelmer
Keyword(s):  
Waste Management ◽  
Landscape Planning ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Host Community ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Long Term Storage ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada ◽  
End Use

The Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office was established in 1982 to carry out the federal government’s responsibilities for low-level radioactive (LLR) waste management in Canada. In this capacity, the Office operates programs to characterize, delineate, decontaminate and consolidate historic LLR waste for interim and long-term storage. The Office is currently the proponent of the Port Hope Area Initiative; a program directed at the development and implementation of a safe, local long-term management solution for historic LLR waste in the Port Hope area. A legal agreement between the Government of Canada and the host community provides the framework for the implementation of the Port Hope Project. Specifically, the agreement requires that the surface of the long-term LLR waste management facility be “conducive to passive and active recreational uses such as soccer fields and baseball diamonds.” However, there are currently no examples of licensed LLR waste management facilities in Canada that permit recreational use. Such an end use presents challenges with respect to engineering and design, health and safety and landscape planning. This paper presents the cover system design, the environmental effects assessment and the landscape planning processes that were undertaken in support of the recreational end use of the Port Hope long-term LLR waste management facility.

scholarly journals Cross-sectoral input for the potential role of science in Canada’s environmental assessment

FACETS ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 512-529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aerin L. Jacob ◽  
Jonathan W. Moore ◽  
Caroline H. Fox ◽  
Emily J. Sunter ◽  
Danielle Gauthier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Public Consultation ◽  
Scientific Rigour ◽  
Regulatory Processes ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Liberal Government ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada ◽  
Laws And Policies

Since being elected in 2015, Canada’s federal Liberal government has taken steps to overhaul major environment-related laws and policies, including federal environmental assessment (EA) and regulatory processes. During 2016–2017, a government-appointed panel toured Canada and received >1000 suggestions from diverse sectors of society regarding EA reform. Yet, different sectors of society may have different views concerning scientific components of EA. We analyzed written submissions during public consultation (categorized into five sectors) regarding five key scientific components of EA: (1) openly sharing information, (2) evaluating cumulative effects, (3) scientific rigour, (4) transparency in decision-making, and (5) independence between regulators and proponents. On the whole, submissions from Indigenous groups, non-governmental organizations, and individuals/academics supported strengthening all five components. In contrast, most contributions from industry/industry associations, and, to a lesser extent, government bodies or agencies, suggested that there was no need for increased scientific rigour or increased independence. These findings indicate that there is cross-sectoral support for strengthening some scientific aspects of EA. However, the degree to which the Government of Canada strengthens the scientific rigour and independence of EA will indicate whether environmental decision-making in Canada is aligned with preferences from industry or the rest of Canada.

Developments of Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology at NRC's Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation

2007 ◽  
Vol 539-543 ◽  
pp. 74-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave Ghosh ◽  
Shao Hong Wu
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Proton Exchange Membrane ◽  
Hydrogen Generation ◽  
National Research Council ◽  
Proton Exchange ◽  
Development Organization ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada

National Research Council (NRC) as the premier research and development organization within the government of Canada has the mandate of providing vital scientific and technological services to research and industrial communities. The NRC Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation (IFCI) is leading NRC’s National Fuel Cell Program and is working closely with academic, government, and industrial organizations to support fuel cell cluster in Vancouver and across Canada and to fulfill the innovation needs of Canadian fuel cell companies. The key programs at IFCI include: Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC), Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC), Hydrogen generation and infrastructure, and technology demonstration. NRC-IFCI’s impact on the fuel cell industry can be seen through the development and transfer of targeted and collaborative research projects addressing strategic and current technical gaps and providing infrastructure for research, development and demonstration. IFCI has been a catalyst in the coordination of industry’s responses to current commercialization barriers. This paper presents the latest research and development activities as well as demonstrations at NRC-IFCI.

The Government of Canada’s Programs for Radioactive Waste Cleanup and Long-Term Management

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dave McCauley ◽  
Douglas Metcalfe ◽  
Marcia Blanchette ◽  
Tom Calvert
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Waste Management ◽  
Radioactive Wastes ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Uranium Mine ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada ◽  
Term Management

The Government of Canada’s 1996 Policy Framework for Radioactive Waste Management establishes that waste owners are responsible for the management of their radioactive wastes. This includes the planning, funding, and implementation of long-term waste management initiatives. Within this context, the Government has established three separate programs aimed at addressing the long-term management of radioactive waste for which it has accepted responsibility. The largest of these programs is the Nuclear Legacy Liabilities Program (NLLP). The objective of the NLLP is to address radioactive waste and decommissioning liabilities resulting from 60 years of nuclear research and development at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) sites in Canada. In 2005, the Government increased the value of this liability in its Public Accounts based on a new, 70-year long-term strategy and, in 2006, it implemented a $520 million 5-year work plan to initiate the strategy. The cost of implementing the full strategy is estimated at about $7 billion (current-day dollars). Canada’s Historic Waste Program is a second program that is designed to address low-level radioactive wastes across Canada that are not managed in an appropriate manner for the long-term and for which the current owner can not reasonably be held responsible. These wastes mainly emanate from the refining and use of radium in the 1930s and the very early days of the nuclear industry in Canada when radioactive ores were mined and transported long distances for processing. While the Historic Waste Program has been in place since 1982, the Government of Canada launched the Port Hope Area Initiative in 2001 to deal with the bulk of the waste. Finally, the Government of Canada has entered into two agreements with Canadian provincial governments on roles and responsibilities relating to the decommissioning of uranium mine and mill tailings sites. These agreements, one with the Province of Ontario and one with the Province of Saskatchewan, establish the responsibilities of each level of government to address circumstances where further decommissioning work is required and the producer can no longer be held responsible. The paper will provide an overview of these environmental remediation programs for radioactive waste and will describe recent progress and future challenges.

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