Chalk River

Image: Chalk River Laboratories
Source: AECL

Latest updates

• August 25, 2010: Record of Proceedings - Atomic Energy of Canada Limited - Request for the Approval of the Return to Service of the National Research Universal (NRU) Reactor (PDF)
• July 7, 2010: CNSC authorizes restart of NRU reactor
• July 7, 2010: Transcript of the July 5 public hearing regarding the restart of the NRU (PDF)
• June 25, 2010 : NRU restart hearing date rescheduled for July 5, 2010 (PDF)
• June 16, 2010: CNSC announces hearing date for NRU restart: June 28 at 9 a.m. (PDF)
• May 14, 2010: The CNSC was informed on May 10, 2010 of a loss of waste water from a transfer tank at AECL's Waste Treatment Centre at Chalk River Laboratories (CRL). CNSC on-site inspectors are following up with AECL and are awaiting more detailed information on AECL's remedial actions. For more information, read Loss of waste water - Chalk River Information Bulletin (Source: AECL's Web site)
• May 3, 2010: Join Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) and Natural Resources Canada at information sessions about environmental restoration activities at Chalk River Laboratories.

Find out more

• Letters: Read letters to the CNSC about nuclear facilities in Chalk River and CNSC responses.
• Commission Tribunal information: Read recent Commission Tribunal transcripts and Records of Decision from Hearings and Meetings related to facilities in the Chalk River area.
• National Research Universal reactor events: Read more about recent NRU events and updates.

About Chalk River

With a population of 800 people, Chalk River is one of the five small communities in the Upper Ottawa Valley that together form the Municipality of Laurentian Hills.

Farmers and lumbermen first settled in the area in the mid 1800s, to be joined later by travellers on the Canadian Pacific Railway. Agriculture, forestry and the railroad continued to be the principal industries in the Chalk River area until the 1940s. Today, the nuclear industry is the area's largest employer.

At a glance:  Chalk River Laboratories and the National Research Universal reactor

Location: Chalk River, Ontario

Owned and operated by: Atomic Energy of Canada Limited

Purpose of facility: research related to CANDU reactors and the nuclear industry

Year commissioned: operations began in 1944; the National Research Universal reactor came online in 1957, focusing on the production of medical isotopes and neutron research

Read more about Chalk River Laboratories and National Research Universal reactor.

Other information about Chalk River

Find out about Environmental Assessments in Chalk River.