Participant Funding Program Decision – Regulatory Oversight Report for Operating Uranium Mines and Mills in Canada: 2019

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) announced on July 8, 2020 that it was offering $35,000 under its Participant Funding Program (PFP) to assist Indigenous peoples, members of the public, and stakeholders in reviewing CNSC staff’s Regulatory Oversight Report for Operating Uranium Mines and Mills in Canada: 2019 and in submitting written comments to the Commission.

It was also announced that Indigenous intervenors may make oral presentations. This additional opportunity was made available to Indigenous intervenors in the spirit of reconciliation and in recognition of the Indigenous oral tradition of sharing knowledge. Oral presentations will be made remotely due to potential travel restrictions or limitations relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background

Participant funding was made available by the CNSC:

• for the provision of new, distinctive and valuable information to the CNSC through informed and topic-specific interventions
• to assist interested parties to review of the report and submitting written comments to the Commission

A funding review committee (FRC), independent from the CNSC, was established to review the funding applications received by the CNSC’s PFP administrator, and to make recommendations on the allocation of up to $35,000 for eligible applicants. 

The FRC members were:

• Paul Scott, retired regional director of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency’s Vancouver office
• Bruce Young, retired Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency director
• Steve Burgess, retired Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency director 

The CNSC received two applications and these were reviewed by the FRC.

Eligibility and funding criteria

For more information on participant funding and how it works, including details on eligibility and funding criteria, please read the PFP guide.

CNSC participant funding decision

The CNSC has carefully considered the FRC’s recommendations on the allocation of participant funding in the matter of the report and has approved the reimbursement of up to $17,210 to the following recipients:

Applicant	Maximum amount of available funding
Ya’thi Nene Land and Resource Office	$12,310
Canadian Environmental Law Association	$4,900
Total	$17,210

Additional information:

Adam Zenobi
Participant Funding Program Administrator, CNSC
Tel.: 613-415-2814
Email: pfp@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca