Request Pursuant to Subsection 12(2) of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations

July 22, 2026

Nigel Smith
CEO
TRIUMF Inc.
4004 Wesbrook Mall
Vancouver, BC
V6T 2A3

Dear Nigel Smith,

This letter is a request pursuant to subsection 12(2) of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations.

Since March 2025, Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) staff have conducted three compliance inspections of the TRIUMF Inc. (TRIUMF) programs and operations under its Class 1B operating licence PA1OL-1.01/2032 [Ref. 1, 2, 3]. As a result of these inspections, TRIUMF has been issued 24 notices of non-compliance with varying degrees of safety significance.

While CNSC staff acknowledge the progress that TRIUMF has made with respect to the Radiation Protection, Environmental Protection and Management Systems safety and control areas, TRIUMF continues to demonstrate gaps in compliance with CNSC regulatory requirements.

As per TRIUMF’s Licence Condition Handbook [Ref. 4], the CNSC requires licensees to demonstrate effective management support to ensure sufficient oversight of their compliance with the regulatory requirements. Based on the inspection results and the programs’ size and complexity, CNSC staff are concerned the allocated resources may be insufficient to ensure ongoing compliance at TRIUMF and the safe expansion of operations at the ARIEL facility.

Therefore, pursuant to my authority as a person designated by the Commission for the purposes of subsection 12(2) of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations, I request TRIUMF to complete the following actions by October 30, 2026:

1. Conduct an analysis of the resources required to effectively ensure compliance with TRIUMF’s Class 1B licence PA1OL-1.01/2032. The results of the analysis are to be submitted to the CNSC. This analysis includes the following components:
   1. An assessment of the management oversight of the regulatory requirements for TRIUMF’s license, using the criteria outlined in CSA Standard N286-12, Management system requirements for nuclear facilities.
   2. An assessment of the key work activities required to maintain compliance with TRIUMF’s licence and applicable regulations, including an assessment of the resources TRIUMF has allocated for these activities. The assessment should consider the additional resources required to commission and operate the proposed ARIEL facility.
   3. A safety culture assessment by systematically gathering, reviewing and analyzing culturally relevant data, as per REGDOC 2.1.2 – Safety Culture.
2. Inform the CNSC of any actions taken or proposed in response to the results of the necessary analyses and assessments identified above.

Please note that, in accordance with subsection 12(2) of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations, you are required to file a report with the Commission by August 7, 2026, including the following information:

1. Confirmation that the request will or will not be carried out or will be carried out in part;
2. Any action that TRIUMF has taken to carry out the request or any part of it;
3. Any reasons why the request or any part of it will not be carried out;
4. Any proposed alternative means to achieve the objectives of the request; and
5. Any proposed alternative period within which the licensee proposes to carry out the request.

If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact Nadia Petseva at Nadia.Petseva@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca.

Sincerely,

Nana-Owusua Kwamena
Acting Director General, Directorate of Nuclear Substance Regulation
nana-owusua.kwamena@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca
Tel: 343-543-6760

c.c.:

N. Petseva, CNSC
J. Aro, CNSC
R. Ralea, TRIUMF Inc.

References

1. CNSC Inspection Report TPED-TRIUMF-2025, dated June 4, 2025
2. CNSC Inspection Report ACFD-TRIUMF-2025, dated March 11, 2026
3. CNSC Inspection Report EPMD-TRIUMF-2026, dated June 11, 2026
4. TRIUMF INC. Licence Condition Handbook, Revision 4, for Licence PA1OL-1.01/2032