Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
Nuclear Substances and Radiation Devices
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The Nuclear Substances and Radiation Devices Regulations apply to all nuclear substances, sealed sources and radiation devices not covered by other regulations. They apply to almost every licensee and result in the vast majority of Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) licences. Licence and certification requirements for nuclear substances and radiation devices applications are included in these regulations.
Nuclear Substances
There are more than 100 nuclear substances listed in Schedule 1 of the regulations whose use must be licensed when the quantities involved are greater than the exemption thresholds.
Sealed Sources
These are nuclear substances in a sealed capsule or cover that prevents the dispersion of the substance under the conditions for which it is designed. The possession and movement of high-risk sealed sources are regulated by the CNSC.
Read more about sealed source tracking.
Log in to the sealed source tracking system (SSTS).
Radiation Devices
These are devices that contain more than the exemption quantity of a nuclear substance and enable the nuclear substance to be used for its radiation properties.
See the list of CNSC Certified Radiation Devices (PDF).
Licensing and Certification
There are over 3,000 CNSC nuclear substance and radiation device licences currently in effect. Nuclear substances and radiation devices are widely used in research in medicine for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, in teaching, and in many industrial applications including quality and process control.
There are more than 60 licensed activities for nuclear substances and radiation devices, such as:
- the manufacturing of nuclear substances
- industrial radiography
- diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures and therapeutic nuclear medicine
- the manufacture of nuclear devices
- the various uses of fixed and portable nuclear gauges
The CNSC also certifies radiation devices. In Canada, all radiation devices must be certified and their use must be in accordance with a licence that authorizes their use.
The regulations list a number of exemptions to the licensing requirements, specifically for smoke detectors, tritium safety signs and devices containing radium luminous compounds.
For more details, please see Radium Luminous Devices: Tips for Your Safety.
