Like natural gas and renewables, nuclear electricity generation and its supply chain play an instrumental role in providing energy security for Canadian families. The sector helps underpin a strong economy for our country by supplying reliable baseload power critical to our homes, businesses, and industries.
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]. And with a handful of new projects currently underway or proposed in Ontario, Canadians could see more than $550 billion in economic impact in the province alone, including hundreds of thousands of long-term, well-paying jobs.
Today, Canada stands as a leader in nuclear power and technology, exporting Canadian-made, Canadian-owned reactor systems and supplying significant amounts of the world’s radioisotopes used in medicine [1]. We should be proud; this home-grown know-how and expertise can help build a stronger, more prosperous future for Canadian families while ensuring a brighter future for Canada as a whole.
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Canadian Nuclear Sector: Quick Facts
New Nuclear Power Projects in Canada
Canada has a handful of new nuclear plants in the permitting and planning stages of development, three of the main projects of which include the following:
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 an average of $500 million into the economy. This pioneering 300-MW reactor is expected to begin 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 to enhance 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].
Other Announced Projects
Canada is also home to several other announced initiatives, including the Wesleyville Project in Ontario, the Peace River Nuclear Project in Alberta, and the SaskPower SMR project in Saskatchewan. While these projects aren’t as far along in the planning and permitting stages, they show immense potential to supplement Canada’s rapidly growing electricity needs while ensuring our economy stays powered for growth.
Nuclear Can Help Meet Growing Power 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 already have new SMR projects proposed or under construction, which will serve as templates for both domestic and 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 Huge Opportunity in 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 power source. Energy security and power supply concerns have sparked a global reassessment of nuclear'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 could present a nearly $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.
Maximizing the value of our natural resources is the smart thing to do. pic.twitter.com/BYA0JIa1f7
— Canada Action (@CanadaAction) July 12, 2026
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 - https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.opg.com/documents/cboc-economic-impact-analysis-of-smrs-pdf/&ved=2ahUKEwieu5vD-JSWAxV1AzQIHVEOFHkQFnoECBkQAQ&usg=AOvVaw16F3EtL22f42UgoJC3Dec2
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
18 - https://www.canadaaction.ca/canada-wave-nuclear-projects-to-create-prosperity