First Nations Power Authority Joins Canadians for CANDU Campaign

Press Release

Toronto: April 23, 2024 – First Nations Power Authority, the only North American non-profit Indigenous owned and controlled organization developing power projects has joined the Canadians for CANDU Campaign. Spearheaded by Co-Chairs the Right Honourable Jean Chretien and former Ontario Premier Mike Harris, and now joined by leading organizations and industry, the campaign promotes the deployment of CANDU® nuclear technology at home and abroad in support of Canadian and global efforts to reach net-zero emissions.

“First Nations Power Authority is pleased to become a Canadian for CANDU campaign ambassador. By embracing this nuclear technology, we can empower Indigenous communities with clean, reliable, and low-carbon energy solutions, paving the way for a brighter and more resilient future for our people and the planet,” said Guy Lonechild, President and CEO of FNPA.

“I would like to thank First Nations Power Authority and Guy Lonechild for their leadership in Canada’s world class nuclear sector, and their support for CANDU technology,” said Joe St. Julian, President, Nuclear, AtkinsRéalis. “This growing movement can position Canada as a global leader in clean energy, while also supporting the development of a domestic nuclear industry that Canadians can take pride in.”

THE CANDU MOMENT

Canada enjoys world-leading expertise in the design, construction, operations, maintenance, and overall program management of nuclear reactors, supported by a highly qualified supply chain. CANDU technology is one of Canada’s most important innovations and remains the nation’s only domestically developed and licensed nuclear technology.

CANDU technology—which uses natural uranium—renowned for its safety, efficiency, and versatility, stands as a source of pride for Canadians and remains a leading force in nuclear innovation worldwide. Six decades after it was first developed, it stands as the linchpin of a vibrant Canadian nuclear ecosystem that supports over 76,000 stable and well-remunerated jobs across a wide variety of professional and skilled trades fields, not to mention researchers at our world-class universities and research institutions.1

CANDU technology remains the only nuclear power technology that coproduces the medical isotopes that are used in cancer-fighting treatments and the sterilization of medical devices. The current CANDU fleet in Ontario produces 50% of the world’s supply of Cobalt-60, which is used for medical device sterilization.2

CANDU intellectual property is owned by the federal government. It is a national strategic asset critical to the energy transition, supporting significant economic opportunities for Canadians.

The Canadians for CANDU campaign calls on the federal and provincial governments to support the only made in-Canada nuclear technology on the market to help the country reach net-zero and support a thriving domestic nuclear ecosystem.

The choice is clear. It’s time to choose CANDU.

For more information

FNPA Media
info@fnpa.ca

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