Participant Funding Program decision – Review of Ontario Power Generation’s application for a licence to construct for the Darlington New Nuclear Project

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) announced on October 10, 2023, that it was offering up to $150,000 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 application from Ontario Power Generation (OPG) for a licence to construct for the Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP). This funding was also to assist in the review of related documentation and to support participation in a potential hearing for the Commission to consider the application.

Please note: The public hearing to consider OPG’s licence to construct a single BWRX‑300 reactor is dependent on the Commission’s decision on whether the DNNP environmental assessment can be applied to the BWRX‑300 reactor technology, which was the subject of a public hearing that took place from January 23 to 25, 2024.

Background

The CNSC made participant funding available:

• for the provision of new, distinctive and valuable information to the CNSC through informed and topic-specific interventions
• to assist interested parties in reviewing OPG’s licence application, the related documentation, and CNSC staff’s and OPG’s Commission member documents

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 $150,000 to eligible participants. The FRC was given the flexibility to recommend funding beyond $150,000 based on the value-added nature of the funding applications received.

On January 17, 2024, the FRC met to review the 11 PFP applications received by the CNSC, requesting a total of $299,016.98.

Eligibility and funding criteria

For more information on participant funding and how it works, including details on the 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 $191,863.98 to the following recipients:

Applicant	Maximum amount of available funding
Saugeen Ojibway Nation	$22,975.80
Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation	$26,099.58
Nuclear Transparency Project	$13,250
Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility	$17,020
Canadian Environmental Law	$17,800
Northwatch	$23,033
Curve Lake First Nation	$15,779.72
Hiawatha First Nation	$26,015.88
Métis Nation of Ontario	$19,140
Paul Sedran	$3,000
Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation	$7,750
TOTAL	$191,863.98

Additional information

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