Publication Laka-library:
The domestic and international relationships which have affected the Canadian nuclear industry (1986)
| Author | Norman Aspin |
| Date | June 1986 |
| Classification | 3.02.0.00/01 (CANADA - GENERAL) |
| Front | 
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From the publication:
INTRODUCTION This paper will provide a brief overview of the historic development of the Canadian nuclear industry and will attempt to highlight those inter-relationships which have had a major impact on that development both within Canada and on the world scene. Canada's development as a nuclear nation depended on a unique set of circumstances. It is a resource rich country, being a major producer of oil, natural gas, coal, hydro- electric power and uranium. With all these resources it is somewhat surprising that Canada would need to develop an indigenous nuclear power system for the generation of electricity. In tracing this development, the special relationships which helped to bring it about will be examined. While Canada has broad involvement across the nuclear fuel cycle it has not found it necessary to develop the technology for the enrichment or reprocessing of nuclear fuel. Canada has established both uranium mining and nuclear reactor industries which have developed quite independently and without a strong relationship between them. On reflection, however, this is understandable. Ninety percent of Canada's uranium production is exported, primarily to the advanced, industrialized countries of Europe, Japan and the United States: the very countries which had adopted alternative reactor technologies before the appearance of CANDU reactors in the international market place. The nuclear manufacturing industry, on the other hand, had its beginning in the domestic reactor construction program. Its subsequent export activities have been confined to the rapidly industrializing nations such as India, Pakistan, Argentina, South Korea and Romania. Thus, while Canadian uranium fuels Canadian reactors, the two industries have developed somewhat in isolation from each other. The factors which have tended to bring them together have been government actions and regulations and the criticisms of antinuclear groups within the country.
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