Building a Nuclear SMR Workforce for Western Canada:

Canada is undergoing a generational expansion of its nuclear energy infrastructure. While nuclear energy expansion is primarily centered in Ontario—which is presently building the first small modular reactors (SMRs) in the G7—SMRs may also be deployed in Western Canada in the coming decade to help meet the energy needs of Alberta and Saskatchewan. 

This ICTC report explores building Western Canada’s future nuclear workforce, with an overview of Canada’s nuclear energy industry, current SMR and conventional nuclear energy projects, and labour market data on Canada’s current nuclear workforce between Eastern and Western Canada. 

Key Takeaways on Building a Nuclear SMR Workforce for Western Canada

• A generational renewal and expansion of nuclear energy is occurring in Canada. This includes the deployment of the first SMRs in the G7 at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario, as well as development of SMR projects in Western Canada in the next decade. 
• Canada is an advanced nuclear energy state with a large nuclear energy industry and decades of experience safely operating nuclear reactors for electricity generation, but the industry is primarily centered in Eastern Canada. For SMR development to occur in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Western Canada will need its own highly skilled nuclear workforce. 
• A highly skilled nuclear workforce for Western Canada will include engineering, scientific and technical specialists, skilled trades, and supporting administrative roles. While Alberta and Saskatchewan have workers with skills relevant to the nuclear energy industry, this skilled talent is already in high demand by industries such as oil and gas, mining, utilities, and heavy industry. 
• While deploying the first SMRs in Western Canada is at least a decade away, post-secondary institutions in Alberta and Saskatchewan will need to begin new program design and approval processes soon to produce graduates in time for the first SMRs to come online.
• The report concludes with a series of nine policy recommendations to create a talent and workforce development pipeline in Alberta and Saskatchewan for establishing a nuclear energy industry in Western Canada in the 2030s, including the potential of establishing nuclear energy-specific work-integrated learning (WIL) programs to provide efficient on-ramps for students and recent graduates with specialized education to nuclear energy employers.