1. Personal reflections on implementing a new regulatory regime
Canadian Nuclear
Safety Commission
Commission canadienne
de sûreté nucléaire
Personal reflections on implementing a new regulatory regime
Good day. My name is Kevin Scissons, and I am the Director with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. My Division is call the Uranium Mines and Mills Division, and the main focus of this presentation today will be about the CNSC, and how we regulate uranium mining in Canada. I trust I will be able to answer any questions you might have on the CNSC regulates this industry.

2. Canadian Nuclear Activities
HQ in Ottawa
5 Site Offices at Power Reactors
1 Site Office at Chalk River
4 Regional Offices
The CNSC has on-site inspectors at all major nuclear sites in Canada and also has four regional offices located across the country.
The Power Reactor sites are Bruce, Pickering, Darlington in Ontario.
Gentilly in Quebec, and Point Lepreau in New Brunswick.
The HQ stands for headquarters in the capital of Canada, Ottawa.
The Chalk River site run by AECL also has a CNSC office, and where the NRU reactor for radioisotope production is located.
The other regional offices are also noted, including my office in Saskatoon.
Gentilly 2
Calgary
Western Regional Office
Saskatoon Uranium Mines and Mills Regional Office HQ
Chalk River
Point Lepreau
Laval Eastern Regional Office
Darlington
Bruce A & B
Pickering
Mississauga Southern Regional Office 2

3. Atomic Energy Control Act(1946)
CNSC
Nuclear Safety and Control Act (parliament approval 1997,in force 2000)
replaced
Atomic Energy Control Act(1946)
AECB became CNSC
The catalyst for all of the regulatory actions, related to this topic, recommended by WDD staff was the coming into force of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act in the year 2000.
The Nuclear Safety and Control Act was modern nuclear legislation, which took 10 years to develop and receive final reading. It was forward-looking legislation and didn’t have specific legislation to deal with existing unlicensed sites. Therefore the new Act and associated regulations had to be interpreted when applied to historic unlicensed sites.
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4. CNSC Regulatory scope Nuclear power plants
Nuclear substance processing facilities
Industrial, research and medical facilities
Waste management facilities
Uranium mines, mills and processing
Dosimetry Services
Import/export
Transport packaging
Not X-rays or non-ionizing radiation 4

5. Change “Old Act” 1946 New Act focussed on security and safeguards
no reference to environment
licensee responsibilities
no public process
guidance documents
New Act
safety, security, safeguards, env protection)
assigns responsibility for safety to licensees
licensee rights and responsibilities
establishes public processes
regulations
cost recovery 5

6. CNSC Mission
To regulate the use of nuclear energy and materials: - to protect the health, safety, security and the environment, and - to respect Canada’s international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy (safeguards). 6

7. Regulatory responsibilities
Licensees are responsible for the protection of health, safety, security, and the environment and respecting Canada’s international commitments.
The CNSC is responsible for regulating licensees, assessing whether licensees are compliant with the NSCA, regulations, and international obligations 7

8. Approach to establish regulations
Draft documents prepared internally then circulated for stakeholder comment
Public meetings and sector specific meetings
Stakeholders:
Public
Licensees
Other government departments and agencies
Politicians 8

9. Challenges - external Political issues
Challenges to mandate e.g. u mining
Licensees concerned about increased oversight
NGO and public desire for more openness 9

10. Challenges -internal
Act already finalised when regulations being drafted
Coordinating all regulations simultaneously
New Act already approved by Parliament so no changes
Understanding government processes for new regulations
Cultural differences (reactors, radioisotopes)
Prescription vs performance
Staff capacity 10

11. Lessons learned Ensure Act is broad enough to give required authority
Consult everyone but have a firm process
Engage staff: keep them informed - train
Be prepared to compromise
Prepare regulations that are appropriate for the regulated risk (graded approach)
Remember process will take much longer than you expected
Learn your country’s regulatory process 11

12. Canadian Regulations (I)
General
Radiation protection
Transport packaging
Security
Import/export
Cost recovery
Administrative monetary penalties
Apply to everyone covered by the Nuclear Safety Act 12

13. Canadian Regulations (II)
“Activity Specific”
Class I Nuclear Facilities
e.g. nuclear power plants
Class II Nuclear Facilities
e.g. linear accelerators
Nuclear substances
e.g. nuclear medicine, industrial radiography
Uranium mines and mills 13

14. Canadian Regulations (III)
Commission Rules of Procedures
Commission By-laws 14

15. CNSC Regulatory framework15

16. Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission & Nuclear Regulation in Canada
More information at website:
Thank you for your interest today, I am available to answer any questions you may have, either now or later. 16