Timeline: HTML Version

Donald G. Hurst is appointed AECB President Dr. Donald G. Hurst becomes Atomic Energy Control Board President and serves until 1974. Prior to his presidency, he was the Director of Applied Research and Development at the Chalk River Nuclear Laboratory of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited.

• ARCHIVED - AECB Annual Report 1969–1970 , p. 8.
• Biography of Donal G. Hurst

The UN Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty comes into force Canada joins 14 other countries that export nuclear material and equipment to form the Zangger Committee, which interprets the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and its provisions for the peaceful use of nuclear material and equipment.

• Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Chronology, Federation of American Scientists

Royal Assent is granted for the Nuclear Liability Act The law is administered by the AECB and imposes absolute liability on the operator. It also provides for compensation to third parties for injuries and damages resulting from any nuclear accident. It is not proclaimed until 1976 due to problems negotiating insurance coverage.

• ARCHIVED - AECB Annual Report, 1969-1970, p. 14
• ARCHIVED - AECB Annual Report 1970–1971, p. 15

The Gentilly-1 nuclear reactor in Bécancour begins operations The Gentilly-1 nuclear reactor, a prototype CANDU boiling water reactor, begins operating in Bécancour, Quebec. Ultimately the design proves unsuccessful and the reactor records only 180 on-power days over seven years.

• “Taking Canada’s Gentilly-1 to a ‘static state’,” Balarko Gupta, IAEA Bulletin , Winter 1985

Canadian nuclear program becomes subject to inspection Canada negotiates a safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and subjects its nuclear program to inspection. The agreement comes into force in February 1972. Canada is the first country to sign the agreement that year.