Bruce County Council has approved a motion to formally recognize the importance of CANDU nuclear reactors to both the region and the country during Thursday’s council meeting.
After a report was given to council on October 3rd that led to a motion to declare the importance of CANDU (Canadian Deuterium Uranium) Nuclear reactors and how they benefit the economic success of their host communities and of Canada as a whole.
Warden Chris Peabody gave his support to the motion.
“The economic benefits of the CANDU reactor to the Canadian economy are massive. If two reactors were to be built in Bruce County, that would be just in the design and construction would be 20,000 jobs in Canada,” he explained during the discussion. “Surely, some of those jobs we know would be coming to Bruce County. So it’s a massive amount of investment. On top of the those 20,000 jobs, the economic multiplier for every job created at the CANDU site, 1.5 jobs created in the supply chain.”
CANDU nuclear reactors have played a critical role in the province’s long-term energy strategy. Douglas Point was the first commercial CANDU reactor built in the 1960’s, which helped pave the way for Canada’s nuclear industry.
Peabody says “I think that this is a great opportunity to attract, to support CANDU, and attract future investment whether it’s CANDU or their suppliers to Bruce County. And outside of Bruce County, the CANDU reactors – the benefits to Canada are enormous. Canadian engineered, Canadian uranium from Saskatchewan, Canadian construction workers, Canadian supply chain, Canadian management, and Canadian isotopes. So I think as political leaders, it’s very important that we support a company that is Canadian and will benefit all Canadians.”
CANDU Nuclear reactors have been foundational to the development of nuclear energy generation in Canada, and has branched on a global scale including in countries including South Korea, Romania and Argentina.
Bruce County is currently home to eight of the nineteen CANDU reactors that are operational in Canada.