According to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 23 October by Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, who is also Minister of Energy, and Ontario Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce, the two provinces will: share knowledge and expertise on small modular reactor (SMR) development, including new technologies, regulatory frameworks, supply chain capacity, economic and financial modelling, nuclear waste management, and public and Indigenous engagement; raise public awareness about the economic and environmental benefits of nuclear energy from SMRs; collaborate with other provinces and territories to accelerate SMR adoption nationwide; and advocate to the federal government for stronger support and streamlined regulatory processes to enable the fast, cost-effective deployment of SMRs across Canada.
Nova Scotia has said SMR technology will not be established in the province "soon", but a statement from Ontario's Ministry of Energy and Mines said Nova Scotia’s involvement marks a "pivotal moment" for Atlantic Canada’s energy strategy.
Nova Scotia is "open to exploring the full range of clean energy options" that can help it meet its future energy needs and build grid resilience, Houston said: "We have an opportunity to learn from Ontario's experience deploying nuclear technology and I see great value in this partnership to inform system planning and best practices for Nova Scotia."
“The world is watching Ontario as we lead the largest expansion of nuclear energy on the continent and build the G7’s first small modular reactor,” said Lecce. “Through this important clean energy partnership with Nova Scotia, we are helping to advance small modular reactor technology to create good-paying jobs across the country."
The construction of four SMRs at the Darlington New Nuclear Project in Ontario - for which the provincial government issued a Final Investment Decision in May - is expected to create up to 18,000 jobs in Canada and sustain some 3,700 jobs over 65 years when the units are in operation. The project is expected to add more than CAD38 billion (USD27.3 billion) to the Canadian GDP through the plant's lifetime. Earlier in October, the Canada Growth Fund Inc - a federal investment vehicle designed to attract private capital to build Canada's clean economy - committed to invest up to CAD2 billion in the project, with the Building Ontario Fund - a Crown agency with a mandate to catalyse investment in revenue-generating infrastructure projects across Ontario - to invest CAD1 billion in the project.
