2018–19 Departmental Plan

The Honourable Jim Carr, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Natural Resources

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission 2018–19 Departmental Plan

ISSN: 2371-7467
Catalogue number: CC171-28E-PDF

President's Message
Plans at a glance
Planned results: What we want to achieve this year and beyond
- Core Responsibility
  - Nuclear Regulation
  - Internal Services
Spending and human resources
Supplementary Information
Appendix: definitions
Endnotes

President's Message

This picture portrays the President of the CNSC Michael Binder

Our 2018–19 Departmental Plan provides parliamentarians and Canadians with information on what we do and the results we will aim to achieve during the upcoming year.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) provides regulatory oversight for the licensing and certification of nuclear facilities and activities, and ensures licensees’ compliance with the regulatory regime. This year, we will focus on the following key priorities:

continuing to ensure modern nuclear regulation using science-based, risk-informed and technically sound regulatory practices that consider scientific uncertainties and evolving expectations
being a trusted regulator that is recognized by the public, Indigenous peoples and industry as independent, open and transparent, that is a credible source of scientific, technical and regulatory information, and that maintains a competent and agile organization, ready for any challenge
increasing our global nuclear influence, leveraging our expertise as a world-class regulator to influence global nuclear efforts to enhance international nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation
continuing to improve management effectiveness, strengthening workforce planning, modernizing human resource and financial service delivery, and leveraging technology to maximize organizational performance

This year, the Commission will be conducting public hearings for two major licence renewal applications for nuclear facilities in Ontario, Bruce Nuclear Generating Station and Pickering Nuclear Generating Station.

In addition, the CNSC will continue environmental assessments of the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ proposed major projects: Near Surface Disposal Facility at Chalk River Laboratories and the decommissioning of the Nuclear Power Demonstration at Rolphton, both in Ontario, and the decommissioning of Whiteshell Laboratories in Manitoba.

The Government of Canada tabled proposed legislation to establish new rules for the review of major projects in Canada and announced plans to transform its relationship with Indigenous peoples based on recognition, respect, cooperation, and partnership. The CNSC will be ready to respond to any new changes and will continue to support reconciliation by building and maintaining good relationships with Indigenous peoples in Canada who have an interest in or are potentially impacted by CNSC regulated facilities and activities.

The CNSC will lead the effort in fulfilling Canada’s obligations under the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. We will also continue supporting Executive Vice-President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer Ramzi Jammal in his role as President of the Review Meeting of the Convention on Nuclear Safety, until the transition to a new president in October 2018.

The bulk of our work will continue to be the day-to-day oversight of nearly 1,700 licensees and ensuring the continued safety of all nuclear activities in Canada. To this end, the CNSC promotes a healthy culture of safety and is committed to science-based decision making through comprehensive research and analysis.

At the CNSC, we value our diversified workforce and are committed to an inclusive work environment that leverages everyone’s strengths to achieve our goals. Diversity and inclusion allow us to be more innovative and productive, and to support a healthy and respectful workplace.

On behalf of the CNSC, I wish to thank our staff, licensees, stakeholders and the public for their continued confidence and support in our efforts to regulate Canada’s nuclear industry and to keep Canada and Canadians safe. Rest assured that we will continue to be true to our goals and never compromise safety.

Michael Binder
President

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Plans at a Glance

In addition to undertaking the regulatory oversight of licensees, the CNSC has identified the following priorities for 2018–19.

Modern nuclear regulation using science-based, risk-informed and technically sound regulatory practices that take into account scientific uncertainties, research and evolving expectations.

Hold licensing hearings for major nuclear facilities, taking into account health, safety, security and the environment, including the licence renewals for the Pickering and Bruce nuclear generating stations
Prioritize compliance verification activities, by conducting approximately 1,650 inspections for nearly 1,700 licensees, looking at 14 Safety and Control Areas^{Endnote i} (SCA, the technical topics addressed by CNSC staff in its work)
Conduct assessments of the safety cases for the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ proposed major projects (Near Surface Disposal Facility, Whiteshell and the Nuclear Power Demonstration Project) to ensure that the licensee makes adequate provisions for the protection of the environment and the health of persons, determined through the environmental assessment and licensing processes
Environmental assessment engagements
- • Near Surface Disposal Facility at Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario
- • Decommissioning of Whiteshell Laboratories WR-1 in Manitoba
- • Decommissioning of Nuclear Power Demonstration at Rolphton, Ontario
- The public and Indigenous peoples are encouraged to participate in this process
Ensure readiness for new nuclear applications (e.g., new reactor designs, new medical applications), through the development of regulatory strategies

Aligns with Departmental Results 1 and 2: The environment is protected from releases from nuclear facilities and activities, and Canadians are protected from radiation resulting from nuclear facilities and activities

To be a trusted regulator recognized by the public, Indigenous peoples and industry as independent, open and transparent, and a credible source of scientific, technical and regulatory

Improve transparency of the CNSC’s licensing decision making by developing an online registry of supporting documents from the licensing process
Understand stakeholder perceptions and concerns by analyzing stakeholder surveys to improve future engagement through the development of a stakeholder engagement plan
Continue proactive engagement with affected Indigenous communities with regular, regional Indigenous engagement forums that address the interests of participants

Aligns with Departmental Result 4: Canadians and Indigenous peoples have meaningful information about, and the opportunity to participate in, the nuclear regulatory process

Increase global nuclear influence by leveraging and influencing global nuclear efforts relevant to Canadian interests and activities to enhance international nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation

Enhance collaboration with other Government of Canada departments and nuclear regulators from other countries to strengthen global nuclear safety, security and non-proliferation
- Participate in the Sixth Review Meeting of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management (Joint Convention)
- Continue to support the transition of the Convention on Nuclear Safety presidency from Executive Vice-President and Chief Regulatory Operations Officer Ramzi Jammal to the next president until October 2018; the Joint Convention and the Convention on Nuclear Safety are legally binding treaties
- Continue involvement with the preparatory phase of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Emergency Preparedness Review (EPREV) mission to Canada; the EPREV service tests the level of preparedness for nuclear or radiological emergencies
- Request an IAEA review mission for radioactive waste and spent fuel management, decommissioning and remediation programs (referred to as ARTEMIS) to review the safety cases for Canadian Nuclear Laboratories’ proposed major projects
- The CNSC is chairing both the steering committee and the conference for the International Symposium on Communicating Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies to the Public
- Assist North, Central and South American countries in setting up environmental testing laboratories

Aligns with Departmental Result 3: Nuclear material and substances, facilities and activities are secure and used for peaceful purposes

Improve management effectiveness to ensure that the CNSC is a dynamic, flexible and highly skilled organization that is supported by modern management practices and tools, and responds to an evolving workforce and industry

Implement a new financial and material management system in partnership with Agriculture and Agri-food Canada
Develop a plan to address the CNSC’s future technical needs, which includes establishing mechanisms with partner organizations and countries
Reduce cost and effort of transactional HR processes through re-engineering and automation efforts driven by desired end user experience

For more information on the CNSC’s plans, priorities and planned results, see the "Planned results" section of this report.

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Planned results: What we want to achieve this year and beyond

Core Responsibility

Nuclear Regulation

The CNSC regulates the use of nuclear energy and materials to protect health, safety, security and the environment; implements Canada’s international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy; and disseminates objective scientific and regulatory information to members of the public. The CNSC maintains a regulatory framework, and conducts licensing (including environmental assessments), compliance verification, and enforcement. The CNSC is committed to building and maintaining the confidence of the public and Indigenous peoples through transparent, open and inclusive regulatory processes.

Planning highlights

Departmental Result 1: The environment is protected from releases from nuclear facilities and activities

Departmental Result 2: Canadians are protected from radiation resulting from nuclear facilities and activities

Risks are identified, monitored and controlled across nuclear facilities and activities by CNSC inspectors at each nuclear generating station as well as at regional offices who conduct compliance verification activities, including:
- Regulatory oversight in support of the relicensing process to ensure that CNSC licensees Bruce Power’s and Ontario Power Generation’s performance meet the CNSC regulatory requirements to support staff recommendation to the Commission for the renewal of their operating licences
- Regulatory oversight for the Darlington Refurbishment project
- Regulatory oversight of nearly 1,700 licensees across a wide variety of nuclear facilities and activities
The regulatory framework is clear and understood by licensees and supports nuclear safety. The CNSC’s regulatory framework consists of laws^{Endnote ii} passed by Parliament that govern the regulation of Canada’s nuclear industry, and regulations, licences and documents that the CNSC uses to regulate the industry
- Prepare for implementation of recently approved regulatory documents (e.g., Fitness for Duty, Volume II: Managing Alcohol and Drug Use; and Reporting Requirements for Non-Power Reactor Class I Facilities and Uranium Mines and Mills)
- The CNSC’s Regulatory Framework Plan^{Endnote iii} outlines the milestones the CNSC plans to achieve on its regulatory framework

Departmental Result 3: Nuclear material and substances, facilities and activities are secure and used for peaceful purposes

Provide credible assurance that nuclear material in Canada remains in peaceful use, and that international transfers of nuclear goods and technology are used solely for peaceful purposes
- Maintain the IAEA broader conclusion for Canada – achieved annually since 2005 – to provide assurances to Canadians and the world community of the absence of undeclared nuclear materials and activities in Canada
- Fulfill procedural commitments and obligations under bilateral Nuclear Cooperation Agreements (NCA) and Administrative Arrangements (AA)^{Endnote iv}
- Implement the import/export licensing and compliance program
- Work closely with nuclear facility operators, law enforcement and intelligence agencies, international organizations and other governmental departments to ensure that nuclear materials and facilities are adequately protected
- Continue implementation of a Canadian nuclear cyber-security strategy to further mitigate potential threats emanating from malevolent activities

Departmental Result 4: Canadians and Indigenous peoples have meaningful information about, and the opportunity to participate in, the nuclear regulatory process

Scientific information supports regulatory decision making based on CNSC scientific staff’s high-quality advice to the Commission through internal research, technical assessment and analysis
- Additional research needs are fulfilled through the CNSC’s Research and Support Program^{Endnote v}
- The Independent Environmental Monitoring Program (IEMP^{Endnote viii}) verifies that the public and the environment around CNSC-regulated nuclear facilities are not adversely affected by releases to the environment
The CNSC is a responsive regulator that supports public and Indigenous participation in the CNSC’s regulatory processes through community engagement and by answering media calls and public information inquiries
- All Commission proceedings are open to the public and Indigenous peoples and are webcast – open and transparent decision making and reporting supports the CNSC’s priority of being a trusted regulator
- The CNSC conducts outreach activities which reach the public and Indigenous peoples, providing education on topics of interest as well as addressing misinformation. For example: Meet the Regulator (formerly CNSC 101) events provide a comprehensive overview of the CNSC and its activities to a wide variety of stakeholders – and targeted outreach programs, such as those for nuclear substance and radiation device licensees, provide relevant regulatory information to specific stakeholder groups
- The CNSC supports the participation of Indigenous peoples in the CNSC regulatory process with efforts such as regular, regional Indigenous engagement forums and the Participant Funding Program^{Endnote ix}
- Prior to publication, regulatory framework documents are open to public and Indigenous consultation unless they contain protected information
- The CNSC, as an agent of the Crown, remains committed to building and maintaining relationships with Indigenous peoples in Canada to better understand their interests, issues and concerns with the regulation of Canada’s nuclear industry and to identify and address any adverse impacts on potential or established Aboriginal and/or treaty rights

Risks to Planned Results

The risks to the achievement of the CNSC’s Departmental Results and departmental priorities, as discussed above, are shown below. Further information on the CNSC’s key risks is available on the CNSC’s website.^{Endnote x}

Experimentation

In 2018–19, the CNSC will offer design-thinking methodology training to staff across the organization. Design thinking will provide staff with an innovative approach to everyday problem solving. This methodology will allow employees to focus on connecting with users to understand their needs, seeing new possibilities for the business and creating a differentiated strategy. Design thinking is a human-centred approach that utilizes elements from the employee’s toolkit such as empathy and experimentation to arrive at innovative solutions. By using design thinking, employees make decisions based on what future customers really want instead of relying on historical data only or making risky bets based on instinct instead of evidence.

Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+)

Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA+) is an analytical process used to help identify the potential impacts of policies, programs and services on diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people. The "plus" acknowledges that GBA goes beyond sex and gender differences to consider multiple identity factors that intersect to make people who they are (such as race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability). The CNSC is in the initial phases of incorporating GBA+ into its regulations projects. In 2018–19, the CNSC will focus on strengthening the capacity to conduct further GBA+.

Planned results
Departmental results	Departmental result indicators	Target	Date to achieve target	2014-15 Actual results	2015-16 Actual results	2016-17 Actual results
The environment is protected from releases from nuclear facilities and activities	# of instances of radiological releases that exceeded regulatory limits	0	Fiscal annual	0	0	0
	# of instances of hazardous releases that exceeded regulatory limits	0	Fiscal annual	0	0	0
	% of Independent Environmental Monitoring Program (IEMP) samples (food, water, air and vegetation) that met guidelines	100%	Fiscal annual	96.6%	98.7%	80%*
Canadians are protected from radiation resulting from nuclear facilities and activities	# of radiation doses to members of the public that exceeded regulatory limits	0	Fiscal annual	0	0	1**
	# of radiation doses to workers that exceeded regulatory limits	0	Fiscal annual	1	0	2***
Nuclear material and substances, facilities and activities are secure and used for peaceful purposes	# of instances of non-peaceful or malicious use of Canadian exports of nuclear substances, equipment and information	0	Fiscal annual	0	0	0
	# of lost or stolen radioactive sealed sources	≤2	Fiscal annual	0	0	1****
	Canada’s international commitments to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with respect to nuclear safeguards and verification are met	Receipt of broader conclusion	Calendar annual	Met	Met	Met
Canadians and Indigenous peoples have meaningful information about, and the opportunity to participate in, the nuclear regulatory process	% of CNSC proceedings that were accessible to members of the public and Indigenous peoples	>90%	Fiscal annual	100	100	100
	% of CNSC proceedings for which the Participant Funding Program (PFP) was made available to members of the public and Indigenous peoples	>90%	Fiscal annual	N/A – started offering PFP for all public proceedings in 2016	N/A – started offering PFP for all public proceedings in 2016	100
	% of public proceedings documents that were available in a timely manner upon request by members of the public and Indigenous peoples	>90%	Fiscal annual	N/A – started recording the data in 2016	N/A – started recording the data in 2016	100
	# of Indigenous peoples who participated in CNSC proceedings	Increasing trend	Fiscal annual	4	11	8

* Some sites are known to be contaminated; therefore, if sampling is done at a contaminated site during a fiscal year, the percentage of samples that meet guidelines will trend downwards that year. Noted exceedances for all three fiscal years were expected, as they are similar to values reported by CNSC licensees’ environmental monitoring programs. Exceeding a guideline does not mean that there is an expected health impact; rather, it triggers a more in-depth assessment by CNSC staff to ensure that the health and safety of people and the environment are protected. In all noted cases, CNSC staff have concluded that the public and environment are protected from ongoing releases from nuclear facilities and activities.
** One member of the public received a dose above the regulatory limit. (See the note on transport incidents for further information.) The incident occurred on September 24, 2016 and was reported to the Commission on December 14, 2016.
*** One nuclear energy worker received a dose to the hands on October 28, 2016. The incident was reported to the Commission on December 14, 2016. One nuclear energy worker received a dose to the hands on March 1, 2017. The incident was reported to the Commission on April 12, 2017.
**** A Category 2 exposure device was lost on August 3, 2016 and recovered on August 4, 2016. More information on lost and stolen sources available on the CNSC’s website.^{Endnote xi}

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2018–19 Main Estimates	2018–19 Planned spending	2019–20 Planned spending	2020–21 Planned spending
140,802,405	151,660,439	151,805,170	153,712,804

Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2018–19 Planned full-time equivalents	2019–20 Planned full-time equivalents	2019–20 Planned full-time equivalents
934	929	921

Financial, human resources and performance information for the CNSC’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.^{Endnote xii}

Internal Services

Description

Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet the corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are Management and Oversight Services, Communications Services, Legal Services, Human Resources Management Services, Financial Management Services, Information Management Services, Information Technology Services, Real Property Services, Materiel Services and Acquisition Services.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)
2018–19 Main Estimates	2018–19 Planned spending	2019–20 Planned spending	2020–21 Planned spending
39,162,347	45,741,503	42,976,103	43,382,650

Human resources (full-time equivalents)
2018–19 Planned full-time equivalents	2019–20 Planned full-time equivalents	2019–20 Planned full-time equivalents
295	295	291

Planning highlights

For 2018–19, as part of its continuous improvement efforts in support of modernizing its business operations, the CNSC has prioritized the implementation of a new financial and material management system that will require significant resource investment.

Spending and human resources

Planned spending

Planned spending
	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21
Statutory	98,133,441	99,186,919	111,716,913	113,483,628	113,628,359	115,678,657
Voted	39,835,227	37,939,111	41,807,191	38,176,811	38,176,811	38,034,147
Total	137,968,668	137,126,030	153,524,104	151,660,439	151,805,170	153,712,804

Budgetary planning summary for Core Responsibilities and Internal Services (dollars)
Core Responsibilities and Internal Services	2015–16 Expenditures	2016–17 Expenditures	2017–18 Forecast spending	2018–19 Main Estimates	2018–19 Planned spending	2019–20 Planned spending	2020–21 Planned spending
Nuclear Regulation	96,785,695	95,726,419	107,173,764	101,640,058	105,918,936	108,829,067	110,330,154
Subtotal	96,785,695	95,726,419	107,173,764	101,640,058	105,918,936	108,829,067	110,330,154
Internal Services	41,182,973	41,399,611	46,350,340	39,162,347	45,741,503	42,976,103	43,382,650
Total	137,968,668	137,126,030	153,524,104	140,802,405	151,660,439	151,805,170	153,712,804

Human resources planning summary for Core Responsibilities and Internal Services (full-time equivalents)
Core Responsibilities and Internal Services	2015–16 Actual	2016–17 Actual	2017–18 Forecast	2018–19 Planned	2019–20 Planned	2020–21 Planned
Nuclear Regulation	587	576	607	639	634	630
Subtotal	587	576	607	639	634	630
Internal Services	221	247	261	295	295	291
Total	808	823	868	934	929	921

Future Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations for the year ended March 31, 2019 (dollars)
Financial information	2017–18 Forecast results	2018–19 Planned results	Difference (2018–19 Planned results minus 2017–18 Forecast results)
Total expenses	163,945,000	170,129,000	6,184,000
Total revenues	115,012,000	123,484,000	8,472,000
Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers	48,933,000	46,645,000	(2,288,000)

Concordance between the Departmental Results Framework and the Program Inventory, 2018–19, and the Program Alignment Architecture, 2017–18
2018–19 Core Responsibilities and Program Inventory	2017–18 Lowest-level program of the Program Alignment Architecture	Percentage of lowest-level Program Alignment Architecture program (dollars) corresponding to the program in the Program Inventory
Core Responsibility 1: Nuclear Regulation
Nuclear Fuel Cycle	1.1.1 Uranium Mines and Mills	100%
1.1.2 Nuclear Processing Facilities	100%
1.1.3 Nuclear Waste Management Facilities	100%
Nuclear Reactors	1.2.1 Nuclear Power Plants	100%
1.2.2 Research Reactors	100%
Nuclear Substances and Prescribed Equipment	1.3.1 Medical Sector	100%
1.3.2 Industrial Sector	100%
1.3.3 Commercial Sector	100%
1.3.4 Academic and Research Sector	100%
1.3.5 Packaging and Transport	100%
1.3.6 Dosimetry Services	100%
Nuclear Non-Proliferation	1.4.1 Domestic and International Arrangements	100%
1.4.2 Safeguards	100%
1.4.3 Import-Export	100%
Scientific, Regulatory and Public Information	1.5.1 Regulatory Framework	100%
1.5.2 Scientific and Technical Information	100%
1.5.3 Research	100%
1.5.4 Public Engagement and Outreach	100%

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Date modified:: 2018-03-12

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2018–19 Departmental Plan

Table of Contents

President's Message

Plans at a Glance