Program & Schedule

In this period of unprecedented growth and change for the nuclear industry, leadership matters more than ever. This session brings together the CEOs of Canada’s major nuclear utilities to examine the challenges and opportunities they are facing as they drive the industry forward. From executing major refurbishments and integrating new technologies to navigating regulatory frameworks and strengthening workforce pipelines, our panel will explore how our industry’s leadership is shaping the future of nuclear in Canada. 

The launch of Canada’s Centre for Fusion Energy (CFE) marks a major step toward integrating fusion into the country’s long-term energy and industrial strategy. This session explores what the CFE means for Canada’s broader goals of energy security, competitiveness, and climate commitments. Designed for a non-technical audience, the discussion focuses on national strategy and impact rather than specific technologies.

Key topics include how the CFE positions Canada in the global fusion landscape and the initiatives required to develop a comprehensive ecosystem, such as national policy and research programs. The dialogue will also examine the complementarity of fusion and fission in a future net-zero grid, alongside regulatory and supply chain readiness. By focusing on these strategic pillars, the session outlines a roadmap for fusion as a key component of Canada’s clean energy future.

As Canada contemplates multiple new nuclear sites, the success of these projects depends on early, “invisible” foundations that shape public trust and long-term value.

This panel focuses on site and master planning, Indigenous and community engagement, logistics, and the regulatory frameworks governing land use. The discussion explores how modern realities, such as denser populations and heightened transparency, demand a shift from the 1970s building model. Panelists will share practical lessons on maximizing community benefits through future-proof infrastructure and integrated land-use strategies.

By planning systematically and sharing lessons nationally, proponents can reduce disruption, improve delivery, and strengthen the relationships necessary for successful nuclear expansion.

This panel will begin with a ten-minute TED Talk-style presentation by the Moderator on Indigenous engagement and key policy developments relating to Indigenous Peoples and the nuclear sector. Participants will share insights on building sustainable partnerships that respect Indigenous rights and support community priorities. This session serves as a forum for dialogue on the ongoing relationship between the nuclear sector and Indigenous communities across Canada.   

As nuclear projects grow in scale and complexity, success is increasingly shaped by how they are organized, governed, and contracted. This session explores how collaborative contracting and advanced project methods are reshaping outcomes on nuclear megaprojects by aligning the interests of owners, engineers, regulators, and labour. Using Canada’s Deep Geological Repository (DGR) program as a real-world reference, the Nuclear Waste Management Organization and PTAG discuss why delivery model choices are critical to the success of infrastructure.

The conversation centers on the principles that lead to a collaborative delivery framework, including early integration, shared governance, and joint risk management. Designed for a non-technical audience, the session opens and closes with live audience polling to gauge perspectives on delivery pressures and alignment challenges. Participants will gain a practical lens for rethinking how megaprojects can be delivered with greater predictability, resilience, and public confidence.

This session provides a strategic look at the evolving landscape of nuclear research and training through four “growth” institutions within the University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering (UNENE).

As Canada aims to triple nuclear power by 2050, the University of Alberta, University of Saskatchewan, École Polytechnique de Montréal, and the University of New Brunswick are playing pivotal roles in diversifying R&D and talent pipelines. Each institution will detail its current capabilities and five-year vision, covering topics from SMR implementation in the North and nuclear security to workforce development and science diplomacy.

By identifying essential cross-sector collaborations, this session offers a closer look at the academic engine driving Canada’s nuclear future.

Public acceptance and political viability of nuclear energy depend more on the quality of listening than the volume of messaging. This keynote introduces new research commissioned for CNA2026, offering an evidence-based view into how Canadians and policymakers engage with nuclear energy today. Analyzing millions of digital and social media interactions, the research reflects real-world behaviour rather than survey responses, surfacing the genuine concerns and priorities that drive support or resistance.

Key insights include macro dynamics, such as how nuclear aligns with affordability and climate urgency, and use-case differentiation across electricity, medical isotopes, and industrial applications. The study also identifies the credible voices shaping opinion and maps perspectives by region and language. With analysis spanning English, French, and minority languages (including Mandarin, Punjabi, Spanish, and Arabic) alongside dedicated insights into Indigenous conversations, this keynote provides a data-driven baseline to challenge assumptions and anchor the conference debates.

As Canada’s nuclear industry expands, domestic supplier capacity is a strategic enabler of economic resilience and project reliability. This interactive workshop, convened by Amelia Alliance and the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries (OCNI), introduces “Supplier Capacity by Design”, a systematic approach to shaping supplier readiness well before contracts are issued. Moving beyond simple procurement transactions, the session focuses on how underutilized Canadian capacity, including women-owned, Indigenous, and regional businesses, can be mobilized through intentional, upstream planning.

The workshop builds on the WiN Canada-funded National Study: Advancing Women+ Owned Businesses in Canada’s Nuclear Supply Chain. It features moderated capability spotlights from diverse OCNI members to illustrate existing domestic strength, followed by a live, anonymized industry pulse check. Participants will collaboratively identify priority gaps and practical actions to strengthen participation across the sector, ensuring a robust and inclusive supply chain for Canada’s nuclear future.

This session explores a landmark partnership between the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON) and Bruce Power, supported by the Building Ontario Fund. As a model of reconciliation in practice, this collaboration advances Indigenous economic self-determination through meaningful participation in a major energy and health innovation project. The partnership represents a shift toward Indigenous-led participation in revenue-generating infrastructure, demonstrating how shared ownership and benefit drive lasting community impact.

The conversation highlights how the partnership was designed using the SON First Guiding Principles to safeguard community benefits and build generational wealth. Tied to the global isotope market, this initiative advances cancer treatment while reinforcing Ontario’s leadership in medical isotope production. Attendees will gain insight into how this stable revenue stream strengthens economic reconciliation and supports long-term community health.

As Canada prepares for significant growth in the nuclear sector, unions are essential to developing and maintaining the skilled workforce needed. This panel brings together union leaders to discuss shared priorities for supporting nuclear projects and refurbishments at the local, provincial, and national levels. The conversation will focus on strategies to expand workforce capacity and ensure workers are equipped for the long-term opportunities ahead. Panellists will also explore the role of organized labour in advocating for sustainable jobs that support community stability and industry growth. 

The nuclear industry faces an urgent need to cultivate diverse talent pipelines, particularly in operations and certified control room positions where women remain underrepresented. Ontario Power Generation is addressing this gap through its Bridging the Gap (BTG) initiative, a cornerstone of its equity and inclusion strategy. The BTG Prep Program is a learner-driven experience designed to prepare women for licensed roles, aiming to achieve a 30% selection rate for certified positions by late 2026.

This presentation showcases the program’s three-to-six-month curriculum, which combines simulator-based training, virtual learning, and mentorship to equip participants with technical skills and professional confidence. Attendees will explore the program’s design, measurable results, and practical strategies for advancing diversity in nuclear operations. The session offers actionable insights on how organizations can implement similar mentorship and engagement models to drive lasting industry change.

Canada is facing unprecedented challenges as climate extremes, technological disruption, and economic pressures stretch traditional policy tools to their limits.This talk highlights a powerful yet often overlooked instrument that has shaped safety and innovation for over a century: standards. Frequently described as the “invisible infrastructure of governance,” standards provide the evidence-based backbone that policymakers and businesses rely on to navigate complexity and uncertainty.

Drawing on insights from CSA Group’s Public Policy Centre, the session explores how standards offer faster, inclusive, and future-ready pathways to impact. Case studies in climate-resilient infrastructure, nuclear safety, and pandemic response illustrate how standards democratize expertise and accelerate regulatory responsiveness while maintaining accountability.

Attendees will leave with a reframed understanding of standards, not as technical footnotes but as agile policy instruments essential to national consistency, energy security, and public confidence.

Nuclear projects present unique financial profiles, requiring robust frameworks to manage risks during the pre-construction and construction phases. This session evaluates various international financing models, including Contracts for Difference (CfD), Regulated Asset Base (RAB), and the Mankala framework, to determine their suitability within the Canadian context. Panelists will discuss the complexities of provincial energy markets and the differing approaches required for Crown Corporations versus private entities. The conversation aims to identify current successes in Canadian infrastructure finance and the improvements needed to support a large-scale nuclear buildout. 

While much of the nuclear conversation focuses on technology and capital, the success of major projects ultimately depends on the people delivering them. This session presents a skilled trades-led case study examining how workforce readiness, training investment, and safety culture directly influence project outcomes. Drawing on real-world experiences from major Canadian builds, the presentation explores the critical intersections of schedule pressure, labour availability, and safety expectations.

Rather than a traditional panel, this session features a guided scenario exercise. Participants will navigate key decision points faced by project leaders and labour partners, reflecting on the downstream impacts of prioritizing workforce engagement. Designed for a non-technical audience, the discussion highlights how stable training pipelines and respect for skilled professionalism strengthen project certainty and public confidence.

As Canada enters a new era of nuclear energy driven by decarbonization and AI-enabled demand, Indigenous and public confidence remain a defining factor for project success. This presentation explores how the remediation of historic radioactive waste in Port Hope, Ontario, has become a critical foundation for the country’s nuclear future. Through the Port Hope Area Initiative, environmental liabilities are being addressed and communities restored in partnership with municipal and Indigenous leaders.

Drawing on real-world experience, the talk reframes remediation as a strategic enabler rather than a legacy obligation. It demonstrates how transparent cleanup and long-term stewardship directly support the social license required for future projects, particularly in regions where new generation is planned. The Port Hope experience offers a compelling case study: public trust in the future of nuclear energy is built on how the industry takes responsibility for its past.

This panel brings together energy ministers from across Canada to discuss the strategic role of nuclear power within their respective provincial energy mixes. The conversation will focus on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by different jurisdictions as they work to meet increasing electricity demand and decarbonization goals. Ministers will share insights on the importance of inter-provincial cooperation and the policy frameworks needed to support the deployment of both large-scale and small modular reactors. This session offers a high-level look at the political and economic drivers shaping the future of nuclear energy in Canada.