Participant Funding Program decision – Application from Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Ltd. to renew decommissioning licence for Whiteshell Laboratories

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) announced on March 4, 2024, that it was offering up to $75,000 under its Participant Funding Program (PFP). This funding was to assist Indigenous Nations and communities, members of the public and interested parties in reviewing the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) Ltd. application to renew the nuclear research and test establishment decommissioning licence for the Whiteshell Laboratories site for a period of 3 years.

Background

The CNSC made participant funding available:

• for the provision of new, distinctive and valuable information to the Commission through informed and topic-specific interventions
• to assist interested parties in reviewing CNL’s licence renewal application and associated documents and in participating in the Commission hearing process

A funding review committee (FRC) was established to review the funding applications received by the CNSC’s PFP administrator and to make recommendations on the allocation of up to $75,000 to eligible applicants. The FRC was given the flexibility to recommend funding beyond $75,000 based on the value-added nature of the funding applications received.

On May 14, 2024, the FRC met to review the 7 PFP applications received, requesting a total of $186,719.50.

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 carefully considered the FRC’s recommendations on the allocation of participant funding and approved the reimbursement of up to $121,567.93 to the following recipients:

Applicant	Maximum amount of available funding
Radiation Safety Institute of Canada	$10,000
Manitoba Métis Federation	$17,369.55
Canadian Environmental Law Association	$9,945
Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation	$12,885
Northwatch	$19,000
Black River First Nation	$17,518.38
Sagkeeng First Nation	$34,850
Total	$121,567.93

Additional information

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