Participant Funding Program Guide

Participant Funding Program Guide (PDF, 705 KB)

Part I: Introduction

1.1 What is the purpose of this guide?

This guide:

1. describes the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) Participant Funding Program (PFP)
2. outlines the PFP eligibility criteria
3. provides step-by-step instructions for completing a PFP application form
4. details the obligations of PFP funding recipients
5. lists PFP resources and templates

1.2 Who are the users of this guide?

This guide is designed for individuals, Indigenous groups and not-for-profit organizations that require funding to support their participation in the CNSC’s regulatory processes, including:

• environmental assessments
• licensing reviews
• Commission proceedings
• matters of significant interest to the public and/or Indigenous peoples

1.3 Who do I contact with questions about the PFP?

Participant Funding Program Administrator
Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
280 Slater Street
P.O. Box 1046, Station B
Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5S9
Canada

Telephone: 613-947-6382 or 1-800-668-5284
(in Canada only)
Fax: 613-995-5086
Email: pfp@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca
Website: nuclearsafety.gc.ca

1.4 Where do I find PFP guidance and resources?

Watch the CNSC’s video about the PFP to learn more about how the program works, who can apply and what are considered eligible expenses.

More guidance and documentation can be found on the PFP resources and templates section of the CNSC’s website.

Part II: Participant Funding Program

2.1 Purpose and objectives

In 2011, the CNSC – which values public input – established the Participant Funding Program (PFP) to help individuals, Indigenous groups and not- for-profit organizations participate in its regulatory review processes.

By providing eligible applicants with reasonable financial support, the CNSC aspires to:

1. increase participation in its environmental assessment and licensing processes for major nuclear facilities (e.g., uranium mines and mills, nuclear power plants, nuclear substance processing facilities, nuclear waste facilities)
2. help individuals, Indigenous groups and not-for-profit organizations bring value-added information^{Footnote 1} to the Commission through informed and topic- specific interventions related to environmental assessments and licensing

2.2 Funding opportunities

2.2.1 Total amount of PFP funding available

The CNSC determines how much funding it will make available for project-specific PFP funding opportunities on a case-by-case basis. Funding opportunities include – but are not limited to – participation in CNSC regulatory review processes for major nuclear facilities, which encompass licence renewals, new project applications, environmental assessments and regulatory oversight reports. In limited cases, funding may also be available for reviews of regulatory documents, policies, discussion papers and other topics of regulatory interest to the Commission, the public and Indigenous groups. The amount of funding the CNSC makes available for each project-specific funding opportunity depends on a number of factors, including:

• degree of public interest
• significance of a project’s potential impacts
• project complexity, size and location
• number of Indigenous groups potentially affected
• diversity of issues associated with the proposed project
• previously established PFP funding levels for similar projects
• type, format and location of the Commission proceeding
• total amount of PFP financial resources currently available

There are three additional categories of PFP funding opportunities developed to further enhance public and Indigenous group participation. These are:

• PFP support for CNSC meetings on topics of regulatory interest
• PFP support for participation in CNSC targeted studies or monitoring
• PFP funding for topics of regulatory interest

The first two listed funding opportunities are offered on a case-by-case basis for issues or activities under the CNSC’s mission that are of significant interest to the public and/or Indigenous groups.

The CNSC’s list of topics of regulatory interest is designed to encourage experts, researchers, academics and Indigenous groups in choosing relevant topics to present value-added information to the Commission as part of its regulatory processes. Research on these topics may have already been conducted, but not yet presented before the Commission.

The list of topics includes subjects that have been of interest to the Commission, Indigenous peoples and the public at previous Commission proceedings. The topics listed are those that are most relevant to Commission proceedings for major nuclear facilities set to take place over the next five years. The list is not exhaustive and funding can be requested for the presentation of information on other topics that pertain to the CNSC’s mission or to upcoming Commission proceedings. The list of topics is updated regularly to include new areas of interest to the Commission, Indigenous peoples and the public. Research on these topics may have already been conducted but not yet presented before the Commission.

For more information on applying for these potential funding opportunities, please see the CNSC’s PFP Web page or contact the CNSC’s PFP Administrator (see the contact information in section 1.3).

2.2.2 Limitations

PFP funding is not intended to cover all of the costs associated with engaging in the CNSC’s regulatory review processes. The CNSC will cover only the eligible costs related to hiring professional services, travel, administrative costs and “other costs” as defined and approved by the CNSC and an independent funding review committee (FRC). The FRC is an independent body established by the CNSC for each proposed project where funding is made available. It consists of at least three people the CNSC appoints from a roster of experts in relevant fields.

Appointed FRC members must be external to the CNSC and have no financial or other stake in the project.

A funding applicant may not be approved to receive the full amount originally requested. The FRC and the CNSC will only award funding amounts that are reasonable and commensurate with the scope of the funding offering and the matter before the Commission. To learn more about the FRC and the CNSC’s funding award process, please see part V of this guide.

2.3 Overview of application process

The CNSC’s PFP process, described below, comprises three phases.

Table 1: Phases in the PFP application process

Phase	Step	Guide reference
Phase 1: Pre-application	Identify PFP opportunities	Section 3.1
	Review guidance	Sections 1.4 and 3.2
	Determine eligibility	Section 3.3
Phase 2: Application	Complete the PFP application form	Section 4.1
	Submit the PFP application form	Section 4.2
	Review and approval	Section 5.1
Phase 3: Funding award	Award notice and contribution agreement	Section 5.2
	Funding payments	Section 5.3
	Recipient survey	Section 5.4

Phase 1: Pre-application – The CNSC provides PFP funding to eligible applicants only. Interested parties are encouraged to follow the steps outlined in this pre-application phase to identify relevant PFP funding opportunities and to determine their eligibility for funding. This phase, which begins with downloading a project-specific PFP application form, is detailed in part IV of this guide.

Phase 2: Application – If an interested party determines their proposal will meet the CNSC’s PFP eligibility criteria (as detailed in section 3.3 of this guide), they are encouraged to apply for funding following the steps that make up the PFP application phase. Detailed step-by-step guidance for completing a PFP application form is provided in part IV of this guide.

Phase 3: Funding award – If funding is awarded, the successful recipient must complete a series of actions (e.g., submitting a final financial report) to fulfill the reporting and documentation requirements specified in the objectives section of their contribution agreement.^{Footnote 2} These steps are part of the funding award phase, which is described in part V of this guide.

2.4 Privacy

Per paragraph 21(1)(b.1) of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, the CNSC is authorized to collect personal information for the purpose of assessing funding applications under the PFP. Personal information collected for this process is described in the PFP Personal Information Bank PPU 030. (For more information, visit the Info Source Web page.) Collected information is protected and managed by the CNSC in accordance with the Privacy Act.

If your application is successful your name, contact information and financial institution information will be shared with Public Works and Government Services Canada (accounts payable PSU 931) to facilitate payment.

It is important to be aware that the CNSC, for reasons of accountability and transparency, will also post your name, and the funding you are awarded to the PFP section of its website. In cases where the financial award is greater than $25,000, the CNSC will also post this information in the proactive disclosure section of its website.

You have the right to the correction of, access to and protection of your personal information under the Privacy Act, as well as the right to file a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada regarding the handling of your personal information.

If you have questions regarding the privacy of your personal information, please contact the CNSC’s PFP Administrator.

Part III: Pre-application phase

3.1 Identify PFP opportunities

The CNSC announces its PFP funding opportunities on a case-by-case basis on its website. If you are interested in applying for PFP funding, you should look for the PFP logo, click on it and then review the listed PFP funding opportunities, as illustrated in the sample posting below:

PFP funding opportunities – 2019

Name of project	Maximum amount*	Application deadline
Participant funding for Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Ltd.’s Near Surface Disposal Facility Project	$150,000	May 24, 2019

*“Maximum amount” refers to the total amount of PFP funding the CNSC has made available for the matter at hand. Successful applicants will be awarded a portion of this available funding based on the merit of their application.

Once you have identified the PFP funding opportunity that interests you, click on the link in the “name of project” column to access the relevant PFP notice. This notice will provide you with project-specific information and links to the documents you will need, including:

• description of the PFP funding opportunity and Commission proceedings
• project-specific PFP application form
• application deadline
• review process
• terms and conditions
• contact information

The CNSC also provides notifications of funding opportunities by email. To sign up to receive email notifications from the CNSC with updates and news on the PFP, please subscribe on the CNSC’s website.

The CNSC also promotes these funding opportunities on Facebook and Twitter, as well as through print, digital/online and radio advertising on a case-by-case basis.

3.2 Review guidance

The CNSC accepts PFP application forms only from eligible applicants who have submitted their application before or on the application deadline specified in the funding opportunity announcement. To ensure your application is submitted correctly and on time, you are encouraged to review:

1. the PFP overview video
2. the PFP resources and templates Web page
3. the PFP eligibility criteria (which are outlined in section 3.3)
4. an sample PFP application form

3.2.1 Project-specific pfp application form

If you decide to apply for PFP funding, you must identify and complete a project-specific PFP application form. This form is accessed on the PFP funding opportunities Web page by clicking on the appropriate project link in the “name of project” column. It details the scope of the funding opportunity for that specific project, the maximum amount of funding the CNSC is making available for distribution among successful applicants, as well as the objectives successful applicants will be required to meet.

3.3 Determine eligibility

To determine your eligibility, please review the CNSC’s eligibility criteria for applicants, expenses and activities as described in the sections below.

3.3.1 Eligible applicants

Eligible applicants

All interested individuals, Indigenous groups and not-for-profit organizations may apply for PFP funding. Only those applicants who can demonstrate that they meet at least one of the following criteria are eligible to apply. This includes individuals or organizations with:

• a direct, local interest in the project (such as living on or owning property near the project area)
• Indigenous traditional knowledge or community knowledge relevant to the project
• potential or established Indigenous or treaty rights that may be affected by the project
• value-added information relevant to the CNSC’s mission and specific to the project

Individuals and organizations seeking funding for similar activities are encouraged to work together on their proposals when feasible.

Applications from not-for-profit organizations will only be accepted if one person in the group assumes individual responsibility for signing the contribution agreement should funding be approved, thereby also assuming the legal responsibility for carrying out all of the agreement’s terms.

Ineligible applicants

Individuals and organizations are ineligible for participant funding if they:

• are a for-profit organization
• have a direct commercial interest in the project
• work for the project proponent
• represent another level of government (other than an Indigenous government)

3.3.2 Eligible expenses

The CNSC awards PFP funding only for expenses considered eligible, reasonable and necessary to bring value- added information to the Commission. The scope and limitations of this funding are described below.

Eligible expenses

Expenses the CNSC’s PFP will cover include:

• professional fees
• travel and incidentals
• honoraria
• administrative costs

The funding review committee will consider other costs on a case-by-case basis. This requires that the applicant present a case to demonstrate that these costs are necessary to undertake the eligible activities outlined in their PFP application form and/or to meet the objectives of their contribution agreement.

Ineligible expenses

Expenses the CNSC’s PFP will not cover include:

• capital expenditures
• construction costs
• lost income
• building renovations
• salaries and benefits
• costs related to general operations and maintenance

3.3.3 Eligible activities

The activities that are considered eligible for PFP funding may vary depending on the nature of the project under review and the intervention for which funding has been made available. Examples of eligible activities include:

• review of Commission member documents
• review of technical or environmental monitoring reports
• travel to and/or participation in community meetings
• travel to and/or participation in Commission proceedings
• procurement of legal advice (but not legal representation)
• review of licence applications

Part IV: Application phase

4.1 Complete the PFP application form

This section will guide you through the nine steps required to complete a project-specific PFP application form.

Steps - Text version

• Section 1: Funding Applicant
• Section 2: Eligibilty
• Section 3: Conflict of Interest
• Section 4: Other Funding Sources
• Section 5: Funding Applicant's Proposal
• Section 6: Expenses
• Section 7: Results
• Section 8: Terms and Conditions
• Section 9: Certification and Consent

While this section provides you with high-level guidance on completing each section of the form and relevant background information, the form itself contains detailed instructions you must follow for it to be accepted for review. Important considerations include the following:

• Length: Please ensure you adhere to the word counts specified in the sections that require you to provide a written justification or explanation. The CNSC will not consider any information beyond the specified limits.
• Additional documentation: If you are required to submit additional documentation (e.g., résumés, work experience for professionals), please ensure you attach it to your completed form.
• Supplementary information: If you require additional space to complete any sections of the form, please use another PFP application form, clearly noting that the second form is part of your application package rather than a separate application.
• Signature: Ensure you sign and date your form before submitting it electronically or as a hard copy.
• Submission dates: If you are submitting your form by fax or mail, you must send it in advance of the application deadline to be considered by the CNSC per the timelines specified in table 3.
• Consent letters: If you are hiring a professional, please ensure they review and sign a consent letter and attach it along with their CV or other work experience documentation.

If you have any questions, you may contact the CNSC’s PFP Administrator.

4.1.1 Funding applicant

Please provide your name and contact information. Note that applications from not-for-profit organizations will be accepted only if one person representing the organization assumes individual responsibility for signing the contribution agreement (should funding be approved), thereby assuming the legal responsibility for carrying out all of the terms of the agreement.

If representing or applying on behalf of a not-for-profit organization, you must provide details regarding the organization’s mission and objectives, supporting documentation and an endorsement from the president or

principal contact for the organization. This information may be attached to the form upon submission to the PFP Administrator.

4.1.2 Eligibility

Check the eligibility box that applies to you or your group. It is possible to check more than one box (e.g., you own property near the project site and possess value-added information relevant to the project).

Please provide an explanation of how you or your group meets each of the selected eligibility criteria and/or how you could be directly affected by the project (including any relevant opinions, concerns, issues or interests).

4.1.3 Conflict of interest

Disclose any conflicts of interest you may have related to the project as detailed within the form and briefly explain the circumstances of this conflict.

Stating a conflict of interest does not necessarily disqualify your application from consideration. However, non-disclosure of a conflict will eliminate your application and could affect the consideration of any future PFP funding for you or your organization. If you are unsure whether you have a conflict, please contact the PFP Administrator.

4.1.4 Other funding sources

Disclose if you are receiving, have already received or will be receiving funding from other sources to support your funding proposal. You are required to disclose the amount of funding received and to describe the activities that are being or will be covered by this funding.

Receipt of other funding does not necessarily disqualify your application from consideration. However, non- disclosure of other funding sources will disqualify your funding application for the project and could jeopardize the consideration of any future PFP funding for you or your organization.

4.1.5 Funding applicant’s proposal

Outline how your funding proposal is relevant to the matter at hand by answering the six questions presented in this section. Each proposal must meet the specifications for the PFP as defined on page 2 of the project-specific PFP funding application form. Please do not submit applications that fall outside of the project’s scope.

4.1.6 Expenses

Under the PFP, funding will be provided only for expenses that are eligible, reasonable and necessary to bring value-added information to the Commission. A list of eligible expenses and the information you will need to provide in support of those expenses is presented in table 2.

Table 2: Explanation of PFP eligible expenses

Category	Description
Professional fees	Professional fees relate to the costs of hiring a professional (such as an engineer, consultant, biologist or translator) to help you understand the project or conduct research about the project. Fees for legal analysis and advice are eligible for funding, but those for legal representation are not.
Travel	Travel expenses include the cost to travel to a meeting or CNSC proceeding from your home community. Travel costs may only be considered to facilitate attendance at the nearest location with videoconferencing capabilities.
Honoraria	Honoraria may include, but are not restricted to, claims for Chiefs or Elders, or holders of Indigenous traditional knowledge or community knowledge.
Other costs	Other costs may include items such as photocopying, meeting room rentals, hospitality and meeting supplies – as long as they are reasonable and adequately justified. It is important to specify on the form why these costs are necessary to bring value-added information to the Commission.

Under each category, please provide details on how you will spend the funding (e.g., name of consultant, fee structure) and a written justification for how this will bring value-added information to the CNSC on the matter at hand.

If you are hiring a professional, please ask them to review and sign a consent letter, then attach it to your form along with his or her résumé or other work experience documentation.

You will be asked to provide subtotals by category and the total amount of your PFP funding request from all applicable categories. If you complete the form electronically, this calculation will be done automatically.

All costs must adhere to Treasury Board guidelines on travel allowances. You will be asked to clearly detail these costs within a final financial report (which is described in detail in section 5.2.3).

4.1.7 Results

The CNSC will notify all applicants of their results. Please indicate whether you would prefer to receive your notification by email or mail, as well as your preferred language for correspondence (i.e., English or French). If you are successful, you will also receive a contribution agreement. (Click on the link to see a sample agreement.)

4.1.8 Terms and conditions

To be considered for funding, you must agree to the PFP terms and conditions by checking the “I agree” box on the form. The terms and conditions of the PFP, found on the CNSC’s PFP Web page, are non-negotiable. By filling out this section of the form, funding applicants agree to take on the legal responsibility of submitting the form and, if successful, in meeting the

objectives outlined within the contribution agreement. All applicants are required to review the PFP terms and conditions before submitting their forms.

4.1.9 Certification and consent

Sign and date this section to confirm you consent to and are authorized to submit a PFP funding application form.

4.2 Submit the pfp application form

All forms must be submitted to the CNSC’s PFP Administrator. Prior to submitting your form, please review, sign and date it, and keep a copy for your records. Table 3 below outlines the three ways to submit your form.

Table 3: Instructions for submitting a PFP application form

Submission method	Requirements and date of receipt	Contact information
Email	Print out the PDF form, sign and scan the hard copy (or sign electronically), and attach the resulting file to an email. Send the email to the PFP Administrator.	pfp@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca
Fax	Print out your completed funding application form, sign it and fax it to the PFP Administrator. Any document that is delivered or sent by fax or email will be considered to have been received by the CNSC one calendar day after it is sent.	613-995-5086
Mail	Send forms completed in hard copy (or electronically signed and printed) to the PFP Administrator. Any document mailed to the CNSC will be considered to have been received 10 calendar days after it was mailed and postmarked. Therefore, if you are mailing your documents, be sure to send them well before the due date to ensure they are considered.	PFP Administrator Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission 280 Slater Street P.O. Box 1046, Station B Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5S9

The CNSC will not consider a late or incomplete form. Please contact the PFP Administrator before the application deadline if you have trouble submitting your form or have any questions.

Service standards

• You will receive notification from the PFP Administrator within one business day of receipt of your application.
• You will be informed of the outcome of the funding decision within 45 business days of the application closing date or, if there is no closing date, following receipt of your application.

Part V: Funding award process

Once the CNSC receives your PFP application form, the PFP Administrator will initiate the funding review and approval process as described in section 5.1. At the conclusion of this process, you will receive notification regarding whether or not your application was successful. In the case of successful applicants, the CNSC will intiate the funding award process described in section 5.2.

5.1 Review and approval

PFP funding review and approval process - Text version

1. PFP application form received by the CNSC
2. PFP Administrator
   • Initial review
   • Request for additional information
   • Submit to FRC
3. FRC
   • Review and make recommendations to the CNSC
4. CNSC
   • Confirm FRC decision and reject or approve PFP funding
5. PFP Administrator
   • Notify applicant of decision
   • Provide contribution agreement to approved applicants

The PFP funding review and approval process begins with the PFP Administrator conducting a preliminary review of your PFP application form to verify its accuracy and determine if additional information is required (e.g., résumés for experts listed). As the CNSC will not accept an incomplete form, you will be contacted either by email or phone if you need to submit further documentation before the formal review process begins.

The PFP Administrator will provide all completed forms and related information to the independent funding review committee (FRC). The FRC will conduct an initial assessment of those forms using a standard set of assessment criteria and make recommendations to the CNSC. The FRC will take into consideration the completeness and relevance of each application, the total amount of PFP funding available for each project-specific funding

opportunity and the eligibility of the proposed activities to develop a set of recommendations for the CNSC regarding who should be approved for funding (please see FRC Guidelines for more details on the criteria used to assess funding applications).

A recipient may not receive approval to undertake all of the activities they proposed and/or receive all of the funding they requested. This final decision is made by CNSC management.

The PFP Administrator notifies all applicants of the CNSC’s decision by email or mail regardless of whether they are successful or not. If you are unsuccessful, you will receive an explanation of why your PFP funding application was not approved.

5.2 Award notice and contribution agreement

If the CNSC approves you for PFP funding, you will receive a contribution agreement along with your notification by email or mail. By accepting the agreement, you will initiate the funding award process as illustrated below:

Funding award process - Text version

• Approve contribution agreement
  • Review agreement
  • Sign agreement
  • Return to the CNSC for signature
• Meet agreement objectives
  • Review Commission member documents and other relevant documentation
  • Participate in related CNSC proceeding
• Obtain funding payments
  • Obtain final financial report and recipient survey
  • Submit report and survey
  • Indicate preferred payment method

5.2.1 Contribution agreement

The contribution agreement will include the following information:

• required objectives, which could include review of Commission member documents, submission of a written intervention to the Commission and/or oral intervention at a Commission proceeding
• due dates for the acceptance and submission of the agreement
• the maximum amount of funding awarded
• due dates for meeting the objectives of the agreement, including submission of written interventions to the Commission
• due date for the submission of the final financial report (to be provided to successful applicants once the objectives outlined in the agreement have been completed)

Budget

In the funding award notification, the CNSC will also provide applicants with a suggested budget. The suggested budget is based on the FRC recommendations on how recipients may best allocate the funding they are awarded in order to achieve the objectives stated in their agreements. This budget is broken down by PFP eligible expense categories as illustrated in the sample budget provided on the following page.

Table 4: Suggested PFP budget (example)

Expense category	Item description	Proposed funding allocation
Professional fees	Two advisors at $2,500 each	$5,000.00
Travel	One return Montreal to Ottawa train ticket	$200.00
Other costs	Photocopies, administration	$100.00
Total PFP funding		$5,300.00

The CNSC will provide you with a budget like the one above to illustrate what amounts the FRC approved for spending that may be different from your initial budget. As noted earlier, the FRC allocates a certain amount of funding for each PFP funding opportunity based on the total amount of funding available, the scope of the project or review, and the number of applicants, and with consideration as to whether the budget requested is reasonable and within the scope of the funding opportunity. Should you wish to discuss the breakdown of the allocated funding based on your PFP application form, do not hesitate to contact the PFP Administrator at your earliest convenience (see section 1.3 of this guide).

5.2.2 Review and signature

Please review the agreement to ensure you agree with the objectives, total amount of funding allocated to you and the suggested budget.

Change request

If you wish to modify or forego any of the objectives or requirements stipulated within your agreement, you will need to inform the CNSC by e-mail or written request. This includes redirecting funds among eligible cost categories within the proposed budget.

Agreement submission

Once you approve of the agreement, please sign and return it to the PFP Administrator by email at pfp@cnsc-ccsn.gc.caor by fax at 613-995-5086.

If you are signing on behalf of a group, you must demonstrate that you have authority to represent that group (as described in section 4.1.1).

Once the CNSC has received your signed agreement, it will sign it and send you the final version by email or mail for your records.

5.2.3 CNSC proceedings and meeting of objectives

The CNSC disburses funding only when a recipient has met its agreement objectives and submitted a final financial report. However, you may initiate eligible activities associated with your objectives once both you and the CNSC have signed the agreement. This may include, for example, hiring a professional to review a licence application and associated documentation to prepare for a written and oral intervention at a Commission proceeding.

Interventions

In order to meet the objectives of your agreement, you must participate in a Commission proceeding related to the project for which you received PFP funding. The CNSC has a number of different public Commission proceeding formats, including:

• a hearing with written interventions only
• a hearing with both written and oral interventions
• a meeting (not for decision) with written interventions only

Depending on the format of the Commission proceeding, your agreement will specify the type of intervention(s) required – and the associated deadlines – as part of your objectives. You will need to submit your written intervention to both the PFP Administrator and CNSC Registry by the deadline specified in your agreement.

If the Commission proceeding format includes an oral intervention, you will need to travel to the hearing location (e.g., CNSC Headquarters in Ottawa). If that is not feasible, you can participate via teleconference or videoconference at a different location. The date of the Commission proceeding will be specified in your agreement or will be communicated to you by the PFP Administrator once the CNSC Registry formally announces the proceeding date and location.

After the deadline passes for written interventions (typically 30 days before the proceeding) the CNSC Registry will issue an agenda indicating the time, location and order of the proceeding. Hearings can last for more than one day and specific times when interveners are to present before the Commission are not indicated on the agenda. It is therefore important to ensure you are available for the majority of the day you are scheduled to intervene.

For more information about Commission proceedings and what is involved in participating in a public Commission hearing, please see the page dedicated to public Commission hearing participation on the CNSC’s website.

CNSC documentation

All PFP recipients must review the Commission member documents (CMDs) associated with the matter before the Commission. Typically, both the project proponent and CNSC staff prepare a CMD that forms the basis of the Commission proceeding. It is therefore important that all PFP recipients review these documents and provide their comments to the CNSC as part of their written and/or oral interventions.

CMDs are typically available 60 days before the Commission proceeding. The PFP Administrator will send you a copy of the related CMDs once the Commission Registry makes them available. If you require any additional documents (e.g. licence application, environmental monitoring documentation) to meet your agreement objectives, please contact the PFP Administrator.

Once you have met your objectives, including the submission of a written or oral intervention before the Commission, the PFP Administrator will provide you with a final financial report that you must complete to claim your eligible expenses.

Expense records

When carrying out the objectives outlined in your agreement, it is important to track and record all of your eligible expenses (as identified in section 3.3). While you will not be required to submit receipts to the CNSC, you are strongly encouraged to retain your receipts for at least three years in case the CNSC requires an audit.

Final financial report

Once you have met your objectives, in order for the CNSC to release your PFP funding, you must complete and submit a final financial report detailing all of the eligible expenses you incurred while meeting your agreement objectives. These expenses must align with the suggested budget and expense categories provided to you by the PFP Administrator in your original PFP notification. A sample FFR template is available on the CNSC’s website.

It is important to note that the CNSC will only reimburse you for eligible expenses up to the maximum amount awarded to you under the PFP. The CNSC will evaluate each situation on a case-by-case basis and determine the amount of funding you will be able to claim based on the work you actually completed. If you are unable to demonstrate you have met your agreed-upon objectives outlined in the agreement or did not submit a change request in advance, the CNSC will not release all of the PFP funding.

5.3 Funding payments

The CNSC issues PFP funding payments by direct deposit. You will be provided with a direct deposit form to complete and return to CNSC Finance (finance@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca) for processing.

If direct deposit is not an option for you, please submit a written request to the PFP Administrator by email or mail. The CNSC will consider your request and, if approved, issue a Government of Canada cheque to you or your organization through regular mail.

Upon receipt of the completed and signed final financial report, the payment will be processed and issued within approximately 15 days (or longer for cheques sent through regular mail).

5.3.1 Advanced funding

The CNSC may issue advanced funding to recipients following the signing of the contribution agreement. If you are unable to carry out the agreed-upon objectives outlined in your agreement without advanced payment, you may submit a written request to the PFP Administrator stating your case for advanced funding. Note that advanced funding will not exceed 50 percent of the total amount awarded to you in your agreement. The remainder of the funding or appropriate difference owing will be provided after you have met all the terms in the agreement and submitted your final financial report by the due date stated in the agreement.

5.4 Recipient survey

The CNSC and the PFP value feedback and emphasize the importance of continuous improvement. Therefore, the PFP Administrator will provide PFP funding recipients with a survey along with the final financial report following the completion of the agreement objectives and the related Commission proceeding. The six-question recipient survey, designed to obtain feedback on how the CNSC may improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the PFP, takes only a few minutes to complete.

You should submit your completed recipient survey along with your completed final financial report by email at pfp@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca or by fax at 613-995-5086. If you wish to submit your survey by regular mail, please send it to the address provided in section 1.3 of this guide.

Your input is greatly appreciated.