The Canadian Nuclear Laboratories is an entity created by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited to assume responsibility for all federally owned nuclear legacy liabilities. Managed under a "government owned contractor operated" management model, the contract for management of these properties was awarded to a multi-national consortium of SNC-Lavelin, Fluor and Jacobs operating as the Canadian Nuclear Energy Alliance. 

Proposed "Near Surface Disposal Facility" at Chalk River


Canadian Nuclear Laboratories has proposed a Near Surface Disposal Facility (NSDF) for radioactive wastes on the Chalk River Laboratories site (CRL). The CRL site is located in Renfrew County, ON, on the shore of the Ottawa River, approximately 200 km northwest of Ottawa and close to the community of Chalk River. The NSDF is proposed as an “engineered containment mound” where up to one million cubic metres of radioactive and mixed wastes would be placed over an operating period estimated to be at least 50 years.

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  The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission held five days of hearings beginning May 30th, 2022 on CNL's application to amend their operating license to add the Near Surface Disposal Facility to the list of licenced activities at the Chalk River site.

See hearing documents HERE.   ​Archived recordings of the hearings are HERE

Federal Review Process

Under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, CNL’s proposal requires approval by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) and involves an amendment to the Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) Nuclear Research and Test Establishment Operating Licence. An environmental assessment (EA) conducted under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012 is required, and an EA decision affirming that the proposed activities will not cause significant adverse environmental effects, before the CNSC can make a licensing decision on this proposal.
Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County and Area (CCRCA) is an incorporated, non-profit organization that has been working for the clean-up and prevention of radioactive pollution from the nuclear industry in the Ottawa Valley for 40+ years. CCRCA's  current focus is nuclear waste, in particular the proposed giant mound for one million cubic meters of radioactive waste at Chalk River, Ontario and the proposed “entombment” of the Nuclear Power Demonstration reactor at Rolphton, Ontario. Both of these proposed nuclear waste disposal projects risk contaminating the Ottawa River, a drinking water source for millions of Canadians. Check out CCRCA's popular one-page fact sheets  here
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