Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission Licensing of Mines

New Brunswick Information Session

June 4 and 5, 2008 Presentation Outline

• Who is the CNSC? • Mission of the CNSC • CNSC Background • How the CNSC Regulates the Nuclear Sector • Examples of Uranium Mines • Compliance Inspection Programs • International Agreements, Controls of Uranium • Closing Comments

2 Who is the CNSC?

• ’s independent nuclear regulator • A federal quasi-judicial agency which reports to Parliament through the Minister of Natural Resources • Comprised of the Commission Tribunal and the CNSC staff organization • Responsible for licensing, compliance and enforcement of nuclear safety • Responsible for meeting Canada’s international commitments to nuclear non-proliferation

3 Nuclear Facilities in Canada

4 Mission

To regulate the use of nuclear energy and materials to protect the health, safety, security and the environment, and to respect Canada’s international commitments on the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

5 Regulatory Fundamentals

• CNSC is responsible for regulating licensees, assessing whether licensees are compliant with the NSCA, regulations, and international obligations

• Licensees are responsible for the protection of health, safety, security, and the environment and respecting Canada’s international commitments

6 Commission Tribunal

• Independent, quasi-judicial tribunal • CNSC President also serves as CEO of the staff organization • Conducts public hearings and meetings • Makes transparent, legally binding licensing decisions on nuclear-related activities in Canada • Sets regulatory policy and makes regulations

7 Staff Organization

• Over 650 employees, located at 11 site and regional offices across Canada • Reviews applications for licenses, in accordance with all regulatory requirements • Provides advice and recommendations to the Commission Tribunal • Implements Tribunal decisions • Enforces compliance with regulatory requirements

8 CNSC Organization

Commission President Office of the Tribunal Michael Binder President

Regulatory Technical Regulatory Corporate Operations Support Affairs Services Branch Branch Branch Branch

9 CNSC Background

• Created in 2000 as successor to the Atomic Energy Control Board (1946) • Regulates 2,700 companies and organizations holding around 4,500 licences – from uranium mines to nuclear fuel fabrication and nuclear power plants to nuclear medicine facilities

10 Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA)

Legislation guiding the CNSC:

•The Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA) and associated regulations

• Supporting Regulations lay out rules for how the nuclear sector is licenced and operates

• Act and Regulations provide the authority to issue licences and enforce compliance 11 Nuclear Sector Activities Regulated by the CNSC

• Uranium mines and mills • Uranium refining and conversion • Nuclear power plants • Nuclear substance processing • Industrial and medical nuclear substance users • Research and test facilities • Importers/exporters of nuclear substances and equipment • Waste management facilities • Dosimetry Services

12 Uranium Exploration vs. Uranium Mining and the CNSC

• The mandate of CNSC does not include approving, overseeing or licensing prospecting or exploration

• These activities are not regulated by CNSC and NSCA

• Each provincial and territorial government is responsible to regulate uranium exploration and prospecting within its jurisdiction

13 14 Examples of Licensed Nuclear Facilities and Operators in New Brunswick

• New Brunswick Power Nuclear Corp. • Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation (Particle Accelerator, Teletherapy, Brachytherapy) • Nuclear substances and radiation devices: • Post secondary institutions • Provincial departments • Beverage industry • Paper industry • Construction/engineering industry

15 Overview of Regulatory Process

16 Overview of Environmental Assessments (EA)

• CNSC has EA obligations and responsibilities under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA)

• EAs ensure that the environmental effects of proposed projects are evaluated and mitigated

• Before the CNSC can license a project, the EA must demonstrate that people and the environment are protected

• Public participation and consultation are integral to the 17 EA and its outcomes Licensing Approach (Step-wise Approach and Early Planning)

1. Site Preparation

5. Abandonment Each stage 2. Site Construction (Release from Requires a Licensing) Licence and an EA decision

4. Decommissioning 3. Site Operation

Financial Guarantees also required for steps 1-4 18 Protection of Workers, Public and Environment is Paramount

19 Regulatory Oversight and Compliance Assessment Provided by technical and scientific specialists covering a range of fields associated with environment, health safety and security

• Licensing and compliance officers from Uranium Mines and Mills Division provide routine regulatory oversight including on-site inspections and specialists in mine ventilation and water treatment

• Technical and/or scientific specialists support the licensing specialists reviewing the adequacy of environment, health and safety programs, and focused 20 inspection and/or audits CNSC Compliance Program

21 Radiation Protection Program – Workers

Licensee must have approved radiation protection program

Engineering Controls • i.e., ventilation, mining method, shielding, dust control, design Administrative Controls • i.e., staff training, work planning Monitoring • Individual dosimeters • Continuous monitors with warning lights • Area/time monitoring • National Dose Registry 22 • Dose limits, Action Levels, Codes of Practice Radiation Protection Program – Workers (con’t)

• In Canada, doses to workers and the public are significantly below limits

• The average annual uranium worker dose is 1-2 mSv (milliSeverts)

• Average annual doses to the most exposed workers (i.e. industrial radiographer) are approximately 5 mSv

• Compare to the annual worker limit of 50 mSv 23 Radiation Protection Program – Public Public Dose Limits • Follows international science and principles of radiation protection • Based on releases, modeling and monitoring • Evaluates the most exposed group and their habits, etc. that lead to high rates • Average annual doses to public are 0.001 to 0.1 mSv per year • Compare to: • natural background dose of 2.5 mSv per year 24 • public dose limit of 1 mSv per year Health Effects of Uranium Mining

Studies of uranium miners show: • Workers are as healthy as the general population • Radon, a decay product of uranium, can cause lung cancer • Risk of lung cancer increases with radon exposure • Lung cancer is the only health effect of radon • Radon doesn’t appear to cause any other cancer • Risk of getting lung cancer from working in a current uranium mine is low because current radon exposures are low and therefore the risk is low 25 Health Effects of Uranium Mining

Studies of members of the public show: • No evidence that environmental radon exposures associated with uranium mining, milling, or processing operations increase the risk of cancer

• No evidence of a death attributed to uranium exposure in humans

26 Safety Culture

• CNSC areas of focus also includes safety culture, operational performance, organizational management, human factors and quality assurance

• Licensees must demonstrate commitment and approach to safety culture – for employees, and any contractors or visitors to their sites

• Accidents and emergency events have human factors

27 CNSC Approach for Environmental Monitoring Programs

A monitoring program demonstrates that the facility is operating within the parameters under which the facility was licensed. This applies to:

• quality and quantity of effluent released, i.e., releases do not exceed those predicted (CEAA, Licence Application) • environmental effects predicted in the environmental assessment, i.e., environmental impacts do not exceed those predicted in the environmental assessment 28 Operational Uranium Mines in Canada

There are 6 active uranium mining projects in the of northern . Uranium ore is processed either at an on-site or local off-site mill. Ore grades can range from 0.2% to 24.7%.

The end product (uranium oxide or yellowcake) is transported by truck down to , and then continues on to other sites for refining or 29 processing. Exploration (not regulated by CNSC)

30 Stages of Uranium Mining Uranium Orebody Evaluation Activities

Key definition – exploring vs. evaluating

Examples of evaluation licensed by CNSC: • shafts and declines • test mining • test milling • more permanent site infrastructure • waste management facilities

31 Stages of Uranium Mining (con’t) Construction – Cigar Lake, Saskatchewan

32 Stages of Uranium Mining (con’t) Operation – McArthur River, Saskatchewan

33 Stages of Uranium Mining (con’t) Operation – Ore Slurry Transport

34 Stages of Uranium Mining (con’t) Operation – Key Lake Mill, Saskatchewan

35 Stages of Uranium Mining (con’t) Operation - McClean Lake Mine-Mill, Saskatchewan

36 Stages of Uranium Mining (con’t) Packaging and Transport

37 Stages of Uranium Mining (con’t) Decommissioning – Cluff Lake Mill, Saskatchewan

1999 2005

38 Stages of Uranium Mine (con’t) Decommissioning – Areas

2001

2005 39 Cluff Lake 2007

Revegetated areas (3 years) – waste rock, tailings dam and emergency spillway channel

40 How CNSC Operates its Compliance Program

When applying for a licence to operate a new uranium mine or mill, it is the responsibility of the applicant to demonstrate to the CNSC that it has established the safety management systems, plans and programs that are appropriate to ensure safe and secure operation.

CNSC assess all systems, plans and programs by a transparent rating system.

41 Ratings of CNSC Licensees Performance

A – Exceeds requirements B – Meets requirements: A rating of “B” is merited when assessment topics or programs meet the intent or objectives of CNSC requirements and performance expectations. C – Below requirements: Although the risk of programs and performance falling significantly below requirements in the short term remains low, improvements in performance or programs are required to address identified weaknesses. The licensee or applicant has taken or is taking appropriate action.

D – Significantly below requirements 42 E – Unacceptable Example of Programs Rated

Program Area Operations Overall, modern uranium • Mine Operations • Mill Operations mines and mills operated in • Waste Management Canada meet CNSC • Transport and Packaging • Fire Protection objectives and performance Quality Management expectations. Radiation Protection Environmental Protection Non Radiological Health and Safety Any issues identified by Emergency Preparedness CNSC staff are addressed. Training Nuclear Security Safeguards 43 Public Information Joint Regulatory Approach to Uranium Mining

• CNSC is the principal federal regulator • Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs, Transport Canada also have a role • Local jurisdiction (provincial or territory) for environmental protection, resource management and worker safety • Always a harmonized approach

44 Other Federal Legislation Mine Applicants Must Comply With

• Canadian Environmental Protection Act • Fisheries Act • Species at Risk Act • Migratory Bird Convention Act • Canada Water Act • Transport of Dangerous Goods Act

45 Joint Regulatory Inspection

46 International Agreements and Control of Uranium

• Peaceful versus non-peaceful uses of uranium • Canada’s nuclear non-proliferation policy • Strict controls on exports of Canadian uranium (Canada provides approximately 25% of world’s supply) • International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards

47 Concluding Comments

• CNSC is Canada’s nuclear regulator • Nuclear industry in Canada is diverse • Transparency and public consultation are strongly valued • CNSC responsible for licensing, compliance and enforcement of uranium mining industry in Canada • Cooperative approach with other agencies • Protection of workers, public and environment is paramount 48 Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and Nuclear Regulation in Canada

More information visit: www.nuclearsafety.gc.ca

Thank You – Kevin Scissons, Director of Uranium Mines and Mills Division

49