Updating the Domestic Compliance Program to Strengthen Canada's State System of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Material

Abstract of the technical paper/presentation presented at:
Safeguards Symposium 2018
November 2–5, 2018

Prepared by:
Kathleen Heppell-Masys, Thomas Manning, Omer Elahi and David Moroz
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Abstract:

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is the State Regulatory Authority (SRA) in Canada and has the mandate to ensure the successful implementation of the Canada-International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and Additional Protocol. A strong and reliable State System of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Material (SSAC) is essential for an SRA to implement safeguards effectively and efficiently and to be a reliable partner for the IAEA. For this reason, the CNSC published a new comprehensive regulatory document on safeguards and nuclear material accountancy in February 2018, which consolidated all safeguards regulatory requirements into a single document. This necessitated an update to the safeguards compliance verification program and the development of new evaluation instruments for the conduct of verification assessments and audits. The revisions to the compliance verification program now under way are aimed at ensuring that compliance activities cover all safeguards regulatory requirements with a frequency commensurate with risk and with licensees’ compliance histories. So as not to duplicate effort, the CNSC’s compliance program will complement the IAEA’s own program while also strengthening the safeguards programs of licensees. This paper describes Canada’s regulatory framework, its approach to compliance, and the systematic approach the CNSC has taken in the development of an updated safeguards compliance verification program.

To obtain a copy of the abstract’s document, please contact us at cnsc.info.ccsn@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca or call 613-995-5894 or 1-800-668-5284 (in Canada). When contacting us, please provide the title and date of the abstract.