Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), Canada’s nuclear Crown corporation, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University Network of Excellence in Nuclear Engineering to pursue the development of the Canadian Nuclear Learning Centre. 

The vision of the centre is to coordinate education, training, knowledge management and workforce development across Canada’s growing nuclear sector.

“CNL has always played a critical role in developing highly qualified people for Canada’s nuclear workforce,” Dr. Stephen Bushby, CNL’s vice president, science & technology, said in a statement. 

“This effort will continue through the creation of the Canadian Nuclear Learning Centre, which will provide learning opportunities to build a talent pipeline for both CNL and the industry as a whole. The CNLC, with the support of AECL’s Federal Nuclear Science and Technology Work Plan, provides an excellent complement to our Academic Partnership Program that began in 2022.”

The new agreement addresses collaborative work the three organizations will undertake to establish the centre. These include expanding UNENE programming and activities to incorporate use of the world-class facilities and expertise at Chalk River Laboratories and other CNL sites, while exploring both the development of micro-credential offerings and the opportunity for regional hubs via academic and other national laboratory partners. 

Central to the collaboration is advancing nuclear education to support workforce development priorities. Each organization will also look to leverage their long-term relationships with Canadian academic institutions to examine opportunities for joint project coordination.

As part of the collaborative work, the organizations will present an initial concept of the centre for input at CNL and AECL’s Second Annual University Day this July. An initial plan for the centre is expected to be finalized in Fall 2025.