Summary: Regulatory Oversight Report on the Use of Nuclear Substances in Canada: 2024

The Regulatory Oversight Report on the Use of Nuclear Substances in Canada: 2024 provides information on the use of nuclear substances by:

• licensees in the Canadian medical, industrial, academic and research, and commercial sectors
• a very small number of waste nuclear substance licensees that are not reported on in other regulatory oversight reports (RORs)

These licensees are regulated by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), and CNSC staff concluded that they used nuclear substances safely in 2024. This conclusion was based on an analysis of the indicators covered in this report – inspection compliance ratings, enforcement actions, doses to workers, and event reports.

CNSC staff remain confident that licensees are operating safely. They have also included specific information on compliance efforts, additional outreach, and communication activities undertaken to address continued compliance issues in the “radiation protection” safety and control area of the medical sector. CNSC have also looked at the very conservative methods and processes used for ratings in this area and are implementing changes

Responsiveness and transparency are key elements of the CNSC’s commitment to building trust as Canada’s nuclear regulator. CNSC staff contacted intervenors on the 2023 ROR individually to respond to their comments directly and in more detail than during the Commission Meeting in November 2024. In response to intervenors’ interest in the “environmental protection” safety and control area and the section on reportable events, additional information on these topics was incorporated in this ROR.

This ROR also provides continued updates on the status of Mississauga Metals & Alloys Inc.

Based on licensee performance in 2024, CNSC staff can confirm the following:

• The use of nuclear substances and prescribed equipment in Canada remains safe and secure. “Unacceptable” ratings were issued in only 0.6% of inspections across all safety and control areas, and the associated non-compliances were corrected in a timely manner.
• Effective radiation doses to workers remain low.
• Escalated enforcement actions were used when deemed necessary to ensure safety and security.
• More than 97% of reported events were of no safety significance based on the International Nuclear and Radiological Event Scale; no events were rated at higher than 1 on that scale.
• Engagement and outreach remain key to openness and transparency.

Overall, in 2024, licensees made adequate provisions to protect health, safety, security and the environment with respect to the use of nuclear substances and prescribed equipment, and took the measures required to implement Canada’s international obligations and commitments.

For the full report, please visit the Open Government Portal.