The natural resource sectors form the foundation of Canada’s economy from coast to coast. Like oil, natural gas, renewables, and mining, nuclear electricity generation and its supply chain play an instrumental role in providing energy and economic security for Canadian families.
Nuclear power has been a part of Canada’s energy mix for decades. With 17 reactors located in Ontario and New Brunswick, these power plants generate approximately 15% of Canada’s electricity supply [1]. Today, Canada stands as a leader in nuclear electricity and technology, exporting Canadian-made, Canadian-owned reactor systems and supplying significant amounts of the world’s radioisotopes used in the medical field [1].
- Nuclear Power in Canada: 15 Facts & Statistics
- Uranium Mining in Canada: Everything You Need to Know
- How Fossil Fuels Make Wind, Solar, Hydro & Nuclear Energy Possible
Canadian Nuclear Power: Quick Facts
#1 - Canada’s nuclear sector plays an integral role in the economy, contributing more than $22 billion in gross domestic product annually – representing a 30% increase over the past five years [2]
#2 - As of 2024, Canada’s nuclear power industry employed approximately 89,000 people, indicating a 17% increase over the last five years [2]
#3 - Canadian nuclear power plants provide about 15% of Canada’s total electricity supply [1]
#4 - In Ontario, nuclear power plants have provided 61% of the province’s electricity supply over the last five years [3]
#5 - The nuclear industry offers extremely high-quality careers to Canadians, with approximately 89% falling into the high-skilled job category [2]
#6 - Canada is home to 17 operating nuclear reactors that generate 12,714 million watts of electricity (MWe), providing approximately 15% of the country’s total electricity supply [1]
#7 - Canada has also seen eight nuclear reactors shut down over the years, totalling 3,181 MWe [1]
#8 - Ontario is home to 16 nuclear reactors at the Bruce, Darlington, and Pickering stations, while New Brunswick has a single plant at Point Lepreau [1]
#9 - The deployment of four SMRs in Ontario could increase Canadian GDP by $15.3 billion, support 2,000 jobs, and generate $4.9 billion in tax revenues over 65 years [3]
#10 - Canada’s nuclear industry is one of the most heavily regulated industries in the world, with both provincial and federal governments employing a host of health and safety specialists and inspectors to ensure operations are safe [2]
New Nuclear Power Projects in Canada
Canada has a handful of new nuclear plants in the permitting and planning stages of development, including:
New Brunswick Power: ARC-100 SMR
The ARC-100 small modular reactor (SMR) project by NB Power and ARC Clean Technology is planned for the Point Lepreau Nuclear site in New Brunswick, aiming to deliver 100 MW of clean electricity and 400 MW of heat for grid and industrial use. The ARC-100 design utilizes sodium cooling for enhanced efficiency and safety, positioning it as part of Canada's leadership in advanced nuclear innovation [4][7].
The project has recently achieved a major milestone by completing Phase 2 of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission's design review, with no barriers to licensing identified, allowing it to proceed to the next stages of licensing and deployment. Construction is slated to begin as early as 2025, and operations are projected to start in 2029 [4][5][6].
Ontario Power Generation: BWRX-300 Reactor
Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has started construction of the world’s first commercial BWRX-300 SMR at the Darlington Nuclear site, following regulatory approval in April 2025 [8]. It will support 18,000 Canadian jobs and inject $500 million on average into the economy. This pioneering 300 MW reactor is expected to start operating by the end of 2029, with plans underway for three additional units [9]. It will be the first SMR deployed in North America, demonstrating Canada’s nuclear energy leadership [10].
OPG’s BWRX-300 SMR utilizes innovative boiling water reactor technology for enhanced safety and efficiency, supporting Ontario’s electricity-generating goals by providing a reliable baseload of electricity and heat [10]. Once completed, a fleet of four SMRs at the site could power about 1.2 million homes and reinforce Canada’s global leadership in advanced nuclear energy [10].
Bruce Power: Bruce C Nuclear Project
Bruce Power is proposing the Bruce C Nuclear Project, a major expansion that would add up to 4,800 MW of new nuclear capacity at its existing site in Kincardine, Ontario, to meet growing provincial electricity demand [11][12]. As of August 2025, the project had completed the initial planning phase and officially entered the Impact Statement stage of the federal Integrated Impact Assessment (IAA) process, which is being conducted in collaboration with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission [11][13].
The current phase requires the proponent to conduct a detailed evaluation of the planned reactor’s potential health, social, and economic effects, a critical step towards the possible construction of a new facility designed to operate for 60 to 100 years. According to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), the proposed reactor could add $7.1 billion to the province’s GDP, creating billions in new tax revenues for Canadian governments [14]. Additionally, it will increase Canada’s available supply of lifesaving, cancer-fighting medical isotopes in the global healthcare system [14].
Nuclear Can Help Meet Rapidly Growing Electricity Demand
Canada’s proven nuclear energy leadership demonstrates that our country has the potential to expand its global influence and help the world meet rapidly growing electricity demand.
Here at home, Canada is now integrating its proven nuclear technology with a new wave of SMRs that can be deployed quickly to deliver reliable, large-scale electricity for Canadian cities, industries, and remote communities. Utility providers in Ontario and New Brunswick already have such new SMR projects proposed or under construction, which will serve as a template for international customers while reducing risk and accelerating timelines.
Canada is also one of the world’s top uranium producers; high-grade deposits in Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin position our country to fuel new reactors on every continent. Long-term supply contracts, transparent governance, and established logistics corridors ensure that Canadian uranium reaches global customers reliably, thereby reinforcing the stability of their power systems. By coupling advanced reactor know-how with a robust fuel supply chain, Canada can scale its own grid while empowering our trade partners to meet soaring electricity demand with confidence.
Canada’s Opportunity in Next Wave of Nuclear Power
With domestic and global electricity demand projected to double by 2050 [16][17], governments are increasingly turning to nuclear energy as a reliable source of power. Energy security and supply concerns have sparked a global reassessment of nuclear power's crucial role in the world’s electricity mix, presenting a significant economic opportunity for Canadians.
Canada’s comprehensive leadership across the entire nuclear supply chain—from uranium mining and processing to advanced reactor technology and SMRs—uniquely positions our country to help supplement the world’s nuclear energy needs. The emerging SMR market, for example, is projected to reach $150 billion a year by 2040 [18], an opportunity that Canadians cannot afford to miss. The world’s broader nuclear sector, as a whole, could present a nearly CAD $14 trillion market opportunity by 2050, as global nuclear capacity will need to triple to meet growing electrification demand driven by energy-intensive projects such as data centres and AI [17].
By partaking in the world’s next wave of nuclear projects, Canada can reap substantial economic benefits, driving growth in high-value exports and creating thousands of skilled jobs here at home. Let’s not let this job-creating, prosperity-generating opportunity pass us by.
Saskatchewan’s uranium industry creates jobs and economic opportunities
— Canada Action (@CanadaAction) October 5, 2025
In 2024, uranium sales reached a record high of $2.6 billion, with uranium production also reaching a record high of 16.7 thousand tonnes, an increase of 28% compared to 2023. https://t.co/2HaqVcloRP
SOURCES:
1 - https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-a-f/canada-nuclear-power
2 - https://cna.ca/advantages/jobs-and-the-economy/
3 - file:///C:/Users/ccgra/Downloads/CBoC_Economic-Impact-Assessment-of-4-SMRs-OPG-002-FINAL-ua.pdf
4 - https://www.nucnet.org/news/canada-s-arc-completes-key-design-review-in-bid-to-licence-smr-7-3-2025
5 - https://www.arc-cleantech.com/news/91/39/ARC-Clean-Technology-achieves-major-milestone-with-completion-of-Canadian-regulatory-design-review-for-ARC-100-advanced-small-modular-reactor
6 - https://energynow.ca/2025/09/nuclear-power-in-canada-status-developments-advantages-disadvantages-and-the-future-of-small-modular-reactors/
7 - https://www.atlanticaenergy.org/arc-clean-technology-member-spotlight/
8 - https://www.canada.ca/en/nuclear-safety-commission/news/2025/04/commission-authorizes-ontario-power-generation-inc-to-construct-1-bwrx-300-reactor-at-the-darlington-new-nuclear-project-site.html
9 - https://www.cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca/eng/reactors/power-plants/new-reactor-facilities/
10 - https://www.opg.com/story/opg-ready-to-begin-building-north-americas-first-small-modular-reactor/
11 - https://engage.brucepower.com/brucec
12 - https://iaac-aeic.gc.ca/050/evaluations/proj/88771
13 - https://www.brucepower.com/the-bruce-c-project/
14 - https://iaac-aeic.gc.ca/050/evaluations/proj/88771/contributions/id/61997?culture=en-CA
15 - https://natural-resources.canada.ca/minerals-mining/mining-data-statistics-analysis/minerals-metals-facts/uranium-nuclear-power-facts
16 - https://cna.ca/2025/09/15/canada-faces-unprecedented-electricity-demand-growth-nuclear-energy-critical-to-meeting-2050-needs/
17 - https://www.marketwatch.com/story/global-electricity-demand-to-double-by-2050-ieas-world-energy-outlook-says-ededbb1d