Citizens Against Radioactive Neighbourhoods v. BWXT Nuclear Energy Inc.

Citizens Against Radioactive Neighbourhoods v. BWXT Nuclear Energy Inc.
Court (s) Database
Federal Court Decisions
Date
2022-06-09
Neutral citation
2022 FC 849
File numbers
T-228-21
Notes
Digest
Decision Content
Date: 20220609
Docket: T-228-21
Citation: 2022 FC 849
Ottawa, Ontario, June 9, 2022
PRESENT: The Honourable Mr. Justice Mosley
BETWEEN:
CITIZENS AGAINST RADIOACTIVE NEIGHBOURHOODS
Applicant
and
BWXT NUCLEAR ENERGY CANADA INC
Respondent
JUDGMENT AND REASONS
I. Overview
[1] This is a case where community interests are in conflict with those of a business subject to a regulatory regime designed to protect the public. The question before the Court is whether the regulatory body responsible for administering the regime failed to discharge its duties properly in rendering a decision about the operations of the company. The test the Court must apply is not whether the Court agrees with the decision but whether it met the legal standard of reasonableness.
[2] The Applicant, Citizens Against Radioactive Neighbourhoods, seeks judicial review of a decision of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission [Commission] renewing BWXT Nuclear Energy Canada Inc.’s [Respondent] licence to operate two nuclear facilities in Toronto and Peterborough, Ontario. The Applicant argues that the Commission’s decision was unlawful and unreasonable on account of the licence conditions attached to the production of uranium dioxide fuel pellets in the Peterborough facility, which they deem contrary to statutory and regulatory requirements.
[3] For the reasons that follow, the Court concludes that the decision was lawful and reasonable. As a result, the application for judicial review is dismissed.
II. Facts
[4] The Applicant is an unincorporated non-profit organization, based in Peterborough, and established in spring 2019 in response to the Respondent’s intention to request a ten-year licence renewal from the Commission which would permit the production of uranium dioxide fuel pellets at the Peterborough facility. Previously, the pellets were produced at the Respondent’s premises in Toronto and installed in fuel bundles at the Peterborough plant. The Respondent sought approval of its licence renewal with conditions that would permit it to consolidate the operation at one location, possibly Peterborough, for business reasons.
[5] The Applicant was an active participant in the review of the Respondent’s licence renewal application and made numerous written and oral submissions to the Commission. The Applicant’s membership incudes local residents, parents of children who currently attend or formerly attended an elementary school adjacent to the Peterborough facility, and individuals living in proximity to the plant.
[6] The Respondent is a corporation that owns and operates nuclear fuel manufacturing facilities in Toronto, Peterborough, and Arnprior. Prior to 2016, the Toronto and Peterborough facilities were operated by GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Canada Inc. The Commission transferred the operating licence for these facilities to the Respondent following its acquisition of that company. The original plant, which now houses the Respondent’s operation in Peterborough, was apparently built in 1892. It is not clear from the record whether the area was then a residential community or that it became one thereafter.
[7] The Commission is a quasi-judicial administrative tribunal, court of record and regulator established pursuant to s 8(1) of the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, SC 1997, c 9 [NSCA]. It is statutorily mandated to regulate the development, production, use and possession of nuclear energy and nuclear substances in order to prevent unreasonable risk to the environment and to the health and safety of persons: NSCA, s 9(a)(i). The Commission is a specialized body with extensive technical expertise at its disposal: Greenpeace Canada v Canada (Attorney General), 2014 FC 463 at para 233 [Greenpeace FC].
[8] On November 2, 2018, the Respondent applied [Licence Application] to the Commission for a ten-year renewal of its Nuclear Fuel Facility Operating Licence for its two Class IB facilities in Toronto and Peterborough, Ontario. The Respondent’s existing licence [2010 Licence] was granted in 2010 to GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy Canada Inc. for a ten-year term expiring on December 31, 2020. That licence was transferred to the Respondent in December 2016 following the Respondent’s acquisition of the company. The 2010 Licence amalgamated the Toronto and Peterborough facilities into a single licence, allowing the production of uranium dioxide fuel pellets at the Toronto facility and fuel bundle assemblage at the Peterborough facility.
[9] Pelleting operations consist of the production of natural and depleted uranium dioxide (UO2) pellets, which are then used together with zircalloy tubes to assemble fuel bundles for nuclear power reactors.
[10] In its Licence Application, the Respondent sought the Commission’s authorization to conduct commercial fuel pelleting operations at the Peterborough facility. These operations were previously limited to only the Toronto facility under the 2010 Licence. The Peterborough facility is located in a residential area of downtown Peterborough and is immediately adjacent to an elementary school, Prince of Wales Public School.
[11] In March 2020, the Commission held a five-day public hearing with two days in Toronto and three days in Peterborough. The Commission heard from the Respondent, the Applicant, and 248 interveners.
[12] In support of its request to commence pelleting operations in Peterborough, the Respondent submitted an environmental risk assessment [ERA] to the Commission. This ERA determined that both the estimated emissions and associated risks of consolidating the operations of the Peterborough and Toronto facilities at the Peterborough facility would be low. The ERA showed that the maximum estimated annual effective dose at the Peterborough facility if pelleting operations were to be transferred would remain below the public annual dose limit of 1 mSv/y: Licence Decision at para 262.
III. Decision under Review
[13] In its Licence Decision dated December 18, 2020, the Commission renewed the Respondent’s licence for a period of ten years pursuant to s 24 of the NSCA and severed the licence into two separate facility-specific licences for the Respondent’s Toronto and Peterborough facilities. The renewed facility-specific licences, FFL-3621.00/2030 for the Toronto facility [Toronto Licence] and FFL-3620.00/2030 for the Peterborough facility [Peterborough Licence], were validated from January 1, 2021 until December 31, 2030. The Licence Decision totals 486 paragraphs and addresses several topics that are not in contention in these proceedings.
[14] Central to this case is the decision of the Commission, by a majority of four-to-one, to authorize the Respondent to produce uranium dioxide fuel pellets at its Peterborough, Ontario facility, subject to three licence conditions, or “hold points” specific to the Peterborough Licence:
Licence Condition 15.1 requires the Respondent to submit and implement an updated environmental monitoring program at the Peterborough facility prior to the commencement of fuel pellet production: Licence Decision at para 470.
Licence Condition 15.2 requires the Respondent to submit a final commissioning report related to production of fuel pellets that is acceptable to the Commission, prior to the commencement of commercial fuel pellet production at the Peterborough facility: Licence Decision at para 471.
Licence Condition 15.3 stipulates that the production of fuel pellets shall be conducted at either the Toronto facility or at the Peterborough facility, but not at both facilities: Licence Decision at para 472.
[15] One dissenting Commission Member, Dr. S. Demeter, held that the Respondent’s request to conduct commercial uranium dioxide fuel pelleting operations at the Peterborough facility should be denied, and that pelleting operations should remain only in Toronto.
[16] All five members of the Commission agreed that if the Respondent transferred its pelleting operations to Peterborough, “the health and safety of persons and of the environment would remain adequately protected as emission levels would remain low”: Licence Decision at para 443. The Commission also found that the Respondent’s Licence Application included information that was required by the Class I Nuclear Facilities Regulations, SOR/2000-204 [Class I Regulations]: Licence Decision at paras 45, 59-60, 71, 90, 114, 128, 169, 186, 304, 307, 315, 324, 332, 399, 412, 424.
[17] The Commission majority held that the Respondent is qualified pursuant to s 24(4) of the NSCA to conduct pelleting operations in Peterborough. Having found that the public effective dose, the air uranium dioxide releases and the effluent uranium dioxide releases are and would remain well below regulatory and licence limits, the Commission majority was satisfied that pelleting operations would be adequately safe at either the Toronto or the Peterborough facility: Licence Decision at para 444.
[18] The dissenting Commission Member did not express an opinion on the qualification of the Respondent to conduct pelleting operations in Peterborough. Rather, the dissenting Commission Member held that if the safety case can be met for either the Toronto or Peterborough facility, the request to allow pelleting in the Peterborough facility needs to be analyzed through the lenses of the “as low as reasonably achievable” [ALARA] principle, the justification principle, the precautionary principle and the relative risk of pelleting in Toronto versus Peterborough: Licence Decision at para 445. The majority and dissenting Commission Member differed in their analyses of all of these considerations.
A. ALARA principle
[19] In his analysis of the ALARA principle, the dissenting Commission Member considered social factors such as equity and social trust to conclude that the Respondent had not demonstrated that moving the pelleting operations to Peterborough would be acceptable. As for the factor of equity, the dissenting Commission Member held that the potential increases of radiation doses and environmental releases to the public that would result from moving pelleting operations to Peterborough are not justified based on the ALARA principle, in light of the inequitable increased exposure to the vulnerable population given the proximity of the Prince of Wales Public School. As for social trust, the dissenting Commission Member held that the proximity of the school and the concerns from local residents are predominant factors for not allowing pelleting in Peterborough.
[20] The Commission majority was satisfied that the Respondent would comply with the ALARA principle and aim at minimizing radiation doses at the Toronto and Peterborough facilities. In their view, the very low levels of environmental releases and doses to the public would not have an impact on the health of persons and the environment, in accordance with s 24(4) of the NSCA.
[21] All members of the Commission were satisfied that the Respondent’s radiation protection program satisfied the requirements of the ALARA principle.
B. Relative risk of conducting pelleting at one facility versus the other
[22] The dissenting Commission Member found that the Respondent failed to provide adequate justification for a transfer of pelleting operations to the Peterborough facility.
[23] While the majority agreed with the dissenting Commission member that the transfer of pelleting operations to Peterborough would increase the environmental emissions of uranium dioxide and the resulting dose to the public in Peterborough, it reasoned that these doses would be so negligible that they would have no health and safety impact to persons and the environment, including to the most vulnerable population such as the students at the Prince of Wales School.
C. Justification Principle
[24] The dissenting Commission Member relied on the 2007 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP Publication 103, 2007) to conclude that the Respondent failed to provide justification for overriding the need to protect the more vulnerable population of Peterborough, and that it is therefore more justifiable to conduct pelleting operations in Toronto than in Peterborough.
[25] The Commission majority held that the Respondent is entitled to determine how best to conduct its business, and that the Commission’s role is to ensure the Respondent does so safely in accordance with the NSCA and related regulations, which do not entrench the justification principle. As such, it held that flexibility should be built into the licence in the eventuality that the Respondent decides, for business reasons, to consolidate operations in Peterborough.
D. Precautionary Principle
[26] In the view of the dissenting Commission Member, even if it cannot be shown that there would be “serious or irreversible damages” resulting from the transfer of pelleting operations, the increase of radiation doses and uranium dioxide emissions at a site, which has an adjacent vulnerable population, “is not acting in an abundance of precaution”.
[27] The Commission majority found that the precautionary principle would not be breached, as there would not be serious or irreversible damages resulting from the transfer of pelleting operations. The pelleting operations, the plant design and the estimated doses and environmental releases are well characterized and would be conducted in only one facility.
IV. Legislative Scheme
[28] The NSCA is the enabling statute of the Commission. The Commission is established pursuant to s 8(1) of the NSCA and its objects are enumerated at s 9 of the NSCA.
Establishment of Commission
Constitution de la Commission
Establishment of Commission
Constitution
8 (1) There is hereby established a body corporate to be known as the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.
8 (1) Est constituée une personne morale appelée la Commission canadienne de sûreté nucléaire.
Agent of Her Majesty
Mandataire de Sa Majesté
(2) The Commission is for all its purposes an agent of Her Majesty and may exercise its powers only as an agent of Her Majesty.
(2) La Commission est mandataire de Sa Majesté et ne peut exercer ses attributions qu’à ce titre.
Objects
Mission
Objects
Mission
9 The objects of the Commission are
9. La Commission a pour mission
(a) to regulate the development, production and use of nuclear energy and the production, possession and use of nuclear substances, prescribed equipment and prescribed information in order to
a) de réglementer le développement, la production et l’utilisation de l’énergie nucléaire ainsi que la production, la possession et l’utilisation des substances nucléaires, de l’équipement réglementé et des renseignements réglementés afin que :
(i) prevent unreasonable risk, to the environment and to the health and safety of persons, associated with that development, production, possession or use,
(i) le niveau de risque inhérent à ces activités tant pour la santé et la sécurité des personnes que pour l’environnement, demeure acceptable,
(ii) prevent unreasonable risk to national security associated with that development, production, possession or use, and
(ii) le niveau de risque inhérent à ces activités pour la sécurité nationale demeure acceptable,
(iii) achieve conformity with measures of control and international obligations to which Canada has agreed; and
(iii) ces activités soient exercées en conformité avec les mesures de contrôle et les obligations internationales que le Canada a assumées;
(b) to disseminate objective scientific, technical and regulatory information to the public concerning the activities of the Commission and the effects, on the environment and on the health and safety of persons, of the development, production, possession and use referred to in paragraph (a).
b) d’informer objectivement le public — sur les plans scientifique ou technique ou en ce qui concerne la réglementation du domaine de l’énergie nucléaire — sur ses activités et sur les conséquences, pour la santé et la sécurité des personnes et pour l’environnement, des activités mentionnées à l’alinéa a).
[29] The Committee’s authority to issue licences is provided by s 24 of the NSCA. Subsection 24(4) of the NSCA provides the conditions under which the Commission may renew a licence following receipt of an application if the criteria set out in paragraphs (a) and (b) are met. Pursuant to s 24(5), the Commission is authorized to include in a licence “any term or condition that the Commission considers necessary for the purposes of this Act.”
Licences
Licences et permis
Licences
Catégories
24 (1) The Commission may establish classes of licences authorizing the licensee to carry on any activity described in any of paragraphs 26(a) to (f) that is specified in the licence for the period that is specified in the licence.
24 (1) La Commission peut établir plusieurs catégories de licences et de permis; chaque licence ou permis autorise le titulaire à exercer celles des activités décrites aux alinéas 26a) à f) que la licence ou le permis mentionne, pendant la durée qui y est également mentionnée.
Application
Demande
(2) The Commission may issue, renew, suspend in whole or in part, amend, revoke or replace a licence, or authorize its transfer, on receipt of an application
(a) in the prescribed form;
(b) containing the prescribed information and undertakings and accompanied by the prescribed documents; and
(c) accompanied by the prescribed fee.
(2) La Commission peut délivrer, renouveler, suspendre en tout ou en partie, modifier, révoquer ou remplacer une licence ou un permis ou en autoriser le transfert lorsqu’elle en reçoit la demande en la forme réglementaire, comportant les renseignements et engagements réglementaires et accompagnée des pièces et des droits réglementaires.
Refund of fees
Remboursement
(3) The Commission may, under the prescribed circumstances, refund all or part of any fee referred to in paragraph (2)(c).
(3) Dans les cas réglementaires, la Commission peut rembourser la totalité ou une partie des droits visés au paragraphe (2).
Conditions for issuance, etc.
Conditions préalables à la délivrance
(4) No licence shall be issued, renewed, amended or replaced — and no authorization to transfer one given — unless, in the opinion of the Commission, the applicant or, in the case of an application for an authorization to transfer the licence, the transferee
(4) La Commission ne délivre, ne renouvelle, ne modifie ou ne remplace une licence ou un permis ou n’en autorise le transfert que si elle est d’avis que l’auteur de la demande ou, s’il s’agit d’une demande d’autorisation de transfert, le cessionnaire, à la fois :
(a) is qualified to carry on the activity that the licence will authorize the licensee to carry on; and
a) est compétent pour exercer les activités visées par la licence ou le permis;
(b) will, in carrying on that activity, make adequate provision for the protection of the environment, the health and safety of persons and the maintenance of national security and measures required to implement international obligations to which Canada has agreed.
b) prendra, dans le cadre de ces activités, les mesures voulues pour préserver la santé et la sécurité des personnes, pour protéger l’environnement, pour maintenir la sécurité nationale et pour respecter les obligations internationales que le Canada a assumées.
Terms and conditions of licences
Conditions des licences et des permis
(5) A licence may contain any term or condition that the Commission considers necessary for the purposes of this Act, including a condition that the applicant provide a financial guarantee in a form that is acceptable to the Commission.
(5) Les licences et les permis peuvent être assortis des conditions que la Commission estime nécessaires à l’application de la présente loi, notamment le versement d’une garantie financière sous une forme que la Commission juge acceptable.
Application of proceeds of financial guarantee
Affectation du produit de la garantie financière
(6) The Commission may authorize the application of the proceeds of any financial guarantee referred to in subsection (5) in such manner as it considers appropriate for the purposes of this Act.
(6) La Commission peut autoriser l’affectation du produit de la garantie financière fournie en conformité avec le paragraphe (5) de la façon qu’elle estime indiquée pour l’application de la présente loi.
Refund
Remboursement
(7) The Commission shall grant to any person who provided a financial guarantee under subsection (5) a refund of any of the proceeds of the guarantee that have not been spent and may give the person, in addition to the refund, interest at the prescribed rate in respect of each month or fraction of a month between the time the financial guarantee is provided and the time the refund is granted, calculated on the amount of the refund.
(7) La Commission rembourse à la personne qui a fourni la garantie la partie non utilisée de celle-ci; le cas échéant, elle peut ajouter les intérêts calculés au taux réglementaire sur le montant du remboursement, pour chaque mois ou partie de mois entre le moment où la garantie a été donnée et celui du remboursement.
[30] The requirements for licence applications of s 24(4) are supplemented by several regulations made under the NSCA: the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations, SOR/2000-202 [General Regulations]; the Radiation Protection Regulations, SOR/2000-203; and the Class I Regulations.
[31] Subsection 3(1) of the General Regulations sets out the mandatory information that must be provided in all licence applications, among them the requirement under paragraph 3(1)(e) to provide information about “the proposed measures to ensure compliance with the Radiation Protection Regulations.”
Licences
Permis
General Application Requirements
Dispositions générales
3 (1) An application for a licence shall contain the following information:
3 (1) La demande de permis comprend les renseignements suivants :
(a) the applicant’s name and business address;
a) le nom et l’adresse d’affaires du demandeur;
(b) the activity to be licensed and its purpose;
b) la nature et l’objet de l’activité visée par la demande;
(c) the name, maximum quantity and form of any nuclear substance to be encompassed by the licence;
c) le nom, la quantité maximale et la forme des substances nucléaires visées par la demande;
(d) a description of any nuclear facility, prescribed equipment or prescribed information to be encompassed by the licence;
d) une description de l’installation nucléaire, de l’équipement réglementé ou des renseignements réglementés visés par la demande;
(e) the proposed measures to ensure compliance with the Radiation Protection Regulations, the Nuclear Security Regulations and the Packaging and Transport of Nuclear Substances Regulations, 2015;
e) les mesures proposées pour assurer la conformité au Règlement sur la radioprotection, au Règlement sur la sécurité nucléaire et au Règlement sur l’emballage et le transport des substances nucléaires (2015);
(f) any proposed action level for the purpose of section 6 of the Radiation Protection Regulations;
f) tout seuil d’intervention proposé pour l’application de l’article 6 du Règlement sur la radioprotection;
(g) the proposed measures to control access to the site of the activity to be licensed and the nuclear substance, prescribed equipment or prescribed information;
g) les mesures proposées pour contrôler l’accès aux lieux où se déroulera l’activité visée par la demande et se trouvent les substances nucléaires, l’équipement réglementé ou les renseignements réglementés;
(h) the proposed measures to prevent loss or illegal use, possession or removal of the nuclear substance, prescribed equipment or prescribed information;
h) les mesures proposées pour éviter l’utilisation, la possession ou l’enlèvement illégaux ou la perte des substances nucléaires, de l’équipement réglementé ou des renseignements réglementés;
(i) a description and the results of any test, analysis or calculation performed to substantiate the information included in the application;
i) une description et les résultats des épreuves, analyses ou calculs effectués pour corroborer les renseignements compris dans la demande;
(j) the name, quantity, form, origin and volume of any radioactive waste or hazardous waste that may result from the activity to be licensed, including waste that may be stored, managed, processed or disposed of at the site of the activity to be licensed, and the proposed method for managing and disposing of that waste;
j) le nom, la quantité, la forme, l’origine et le volume des déchets radioactifs ou des déchets dangereux que l’activité visée par la demande peut produire, y compris les déchets qui peuvent être stockés provisoirement ou en permanence, gérés, traités, évacués ou éliminés sur les lieux de l’activité, et la méthode proposée pour les gérer et les stocker en permanence, les évacuer ou les éliminer;
(k) the applicant’s organizational management structure insofar as it may bear on the applicant’s compliance with the Act and the regulations made under the Act, including the internal allocation of functions, responsibilities and authority;
k) la structure de gestion du demandeur dans la mesure où elle peut influer sur l’observation de la Loi et de ses règlements, y compris la répartition interne des fonctions, des responsabilités et des pouvoirs;
(l) a description of any proposed financial guarantee relating to the activity to be licensed; and
l) une description de la garantie financière proposée pour l’activité visée par la demande;
(m) any other information required by the Act or the regulations made under the Act for the activity to be licensed and the nuclear substance, nuclear facility, prescribed equipment or prescribed information to be encompassed by the licence.
m) tout autre renseignement exigé par la Loi ou ses règlements relativement à l’activité, aux substances nucléaires, aux installations nucléaires, à l’équipement réglementé ou aux renseignements réglementés visés par la demande.
(n) [Repealed, SOR/2008-119, s. 2]
n) [Abrogé, DORS/2008-119, art. 2]
(1.1) The Commission or a designated officer authorized under paragraph 37(2)(c) of the Act, may require any other information that is necessary to enable the Commission or the designated officer to determine whether the applicant
(1.1) La Commission ou un fonctionnaire désigné autorisé en vertu de l’alinéa 37(2)c) de la Loi peut demander tout autre renseignement nécessaire pour lui permettre d’établir si le demandeur :
(a) is qualified to carry on the activity to be licensed; or
a) est compétent pour exercer l’activité visée par la demande;
(b) will, in carrying on that activity, make adequate provision for the protection of the environment, the health and safety of persons and the maintenance of national security and measures required to implement international obligations to which Canada has agreed.
b) prendra, dans le cadre de l’activité, les mesures voulues pour préserver la santé et la sécurité des personnes, protéger l’environnement, maintenir la sécurité nationale et respecter les obligations internationales que le Canada a assumées.
(2) Subsection (1) does not apply in respect of an application for a licence to import or export for which the information requirements are prescribed by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Import and Export Control Regulations, or in respect of an application for a licence to transport while in transit for which the information requirements are prescribed by the Packaging and Transport of Nuclear Substances Regulations, 2015.
(2) Le paragraphe (1) ne s’applique pas à la demande de permis d’importation ou d’exportation pour laquelle les renseignements exigés sont prévus par le Règlement sur le contrôle de l’importation et de l’exportation aux fins de la non-prolifération nucléaire, ou à la demande de permis de transit pour laquelle les renseignements exigés sont prévus par le Règlement sur l’emballage et le transport des substances nucléaires (2015).
[32] Paragraph 4(a) of the Radiation Protection Regulations provides that licensees must implement a radiation protection program that keeps the radiation dose absorbed by members of the public “as low as reasonably achievable [ALARA], taking into account social and economic factors.”
Radiation Protection Program
Programme de radioprotection
4 Every licensee must implement a radiation protection program and must, as part of that program,
4 Le titulaire de permis met en oeuvre un programme de radioprotection et, dans le cadre de ce programme :
(a) keep the effective dose and equivalent dose received by and committed to persons as low as reasonably achievable, taking into account social and economic factors, through the implementation of
a) maintient la dose efficace et la dose équivalente qui sont reçues par la personne, et engagées à son égard, au niveau le plus bas qu’il soit raisonnablement possible d’atteindre, compte tenu des facteurs économiques et sociaux, par :
(i) management control over work practices,
(i) la maîtrise des méthodes de travail par la direction,
(ii) personnel qualification and training,
(ii) les qualifications et la formation du personnel,
(iii) control of occupational and public exposure to radiation, and
(iii) le contrôle de l’exposition du personnel et du public au rayonnement,
(iv) planning for unusual situations; and
(iv) la préparation aux situations inhabituelles;
(b) ascertain the quantity and concentration of any nuclear substance released as a result of the licensed activity
b) détermine la quantité et la concentration des substances nucléaires rejetées par suite de l’exercice de l’activité autorisée :
(i) by direct measurement as a result of monitoring, or
(i) par mesure directe résultant du contrôle,
(ii) if the time and resources required for direct measurement as a result of monitoring outweigh the usefulness of ascertaining the quantity and concentration using that method, by estimating them.
(ii) par évaluation, lorsque le temps et les ressources exigés pour une mesure directe sont trop importants par rapport à son utilité.
[33] The Class I Regulations set out information to be included in Class I nuclear facility licence applications. Section 3 sets out general, mandatory application requirements for all Class I nuclear facilities, including descriptions of the site and structures, plans detailing the location and systems of the nuclear facility, the proposed environmental protection policies and procedures, and the proposed effluent and environmental monitoring programs.
Licence Applications
Demandes de permis
General Requirements
Dispositions générales
3 An application for a licence in respect of a Class I nuclear facility, other than a licence to abandon, shall contain the following information in addition to the information required by section 3 of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations:
3 La demande de permis visant une installation nucléaire de catégorie I, autre qu'un permis d'abandon, comprend les renseignements suivants, outre ceux exigés à l'article 3 du Règlement général sur la sûreté et la réglementation nucléaires :
(a) a description of the site of the activity to be licensed, including the location of any exclusion zone and any structures within that zone;
a) une description de l'emplacement de l'activité visée par la demande, y compris l'emplacement de toute zone d'exclusion et de toute structure s'y trouvant;
(b) plans showing the location, perimeter, areas, structures and systems of the nuclear facility;
b) des plans indiquant l'emplacement, le périmètre, les aires, les ouvrages et les systèmes de l'installation nucléaire;
(c) evidence that the applicant is the owner of the site or has authority from the owner of the site to carry on the activity to be licensed;
c) la preuve que le demandeur est le propriétaire de l'emplacement ou qu'il est mandaté par celui-ci pour exercer l'activité visée;
(d) the proposed management system for the activity to be licensed, including measures to promote and support safety culture;
d) le système de gestion proposé pour l’activité visée, y compris les mesures qui seront prises pour promouvoir une culture de sûreté et l’appuyer;
(d.1) the proposed human performance program for the activity to be licensed, including measures to ensure workers’ fitness for duty.
d.1) le programme de performance humaine proposé pour l’activité visée, y compris les mesures qui seront prises pour assurer l’aptitude au travail des travailleurs;
(e) the name, form, characteristics and quantity of any hazardous substances that may be on the site while the activity to be licensed is carried on;
e) le nom, la forme, les caractéristiques et la quantité des substances dangereuses qui pourraient se trouver sur l'emplacement pendant le déroulement de l'activité visée;
(f) the proposed worker health and safety policies and procedures;
f) les politiques et procédures proposées relativement à la santé et à la sécurité des travailleurs;
(g) the proposed environmental protection policies and procedures;
g) les politiques et procédures proposées relativement à la protection de l'environnement;
(h) the proposed effluent and environmental monitoring programs;
h) les programmes proposés pour la surveillance de l'environnement et des effluents;
(i) if the application is in respect of a nuclear facility referred to in paragraph 2(b) of the Nuclear Security Regulations, the information required by section 3 of those Regulations;
i) lorsque la demande vise une installation nucléaire mentionnée à l'alinéa 2b) du Règlement sur la sécurité nucléaire, les renseignements exigés à l'article 3 de ce règlement;
(j) the proposed program to inform persons living in the vicinity of the site of the general nature and characteristics of the anticipated effects on the environment and the health and safety of persons that may result from the activity to be licensed; and
j) le programme destiné à informer les personnes qui résident à proximité de l'emplacement de la nature et des caractéristiques générales des effets prévus de l'activité visée sur l'environnement ainsi que sur la santé et la sécurité des personnes;
(k) the proposed plan for the decommissioning of the nuclear facility or of the site.
k) le plan proposé pour le déclassement de l'installation nucléaire ou de l'emplacement.
[34] Section 6 of the Class I Regulations sets out additional mandatory application requirements for a licence to operate a Class I nuclear facility, including a description of operating equipment and its design; a final safety analysis report identifying hazards and risk mitigation controls; a review of effects to the environment, health and safety of persons; the proposed emission release points; and the proposed methods of controlling the off-site impacts of nuclear substances and hazardous substances to the environment.
Licence to Operate
Permis d'exploitation
6 An application for a licence to operate a Class I nuclear facility shall contain the following information in addition to the information required by section 3:
6 La demande de permis pour exploiter une installation nucléaire de catégorie I comprend les renseignements suivants, outre ceux exigés à l'article 3 :
(a) a description of the structures at the nuclear facility, including their design and their design operating conditions;
a) une description des ouvrages de l'installation nucléaire, y compris leur conception et leurs conditions nominales d'exploitation;
(b) a description of the systems and equipment at the nuclear facility, including their design and their design operating conditions;
b) une description des systèmes et de l'équipement de l'installation nucléaire, y compris leur conception et leurs conditions nominales de fonctionnement;
(c) a final safety analysis report demonstrating the adequacy of the design of the nuclear facility;
c) un rapport final d'analyse de la sûreté démontrant que la conception de l'installation nucléaire est adéquate;
(d) the proposed measures, policies, methods and procedures for operating and maintaining the nuclear facility;
d) les mesures, politiques, méthodes et procédures proposées pour l'exploitation et l'entretien de l'installation nucléaire;
(e) the proposed procedures for handling, storing, loading and transporting nuclear substances and hazardous substances;
e) les procédures proposées pour la manipulation, le stockage provisoire, le chargement et le transport des substances nucléaires et des substances dangereuses;
(f) the proposed measures to facilitate Canada's compliance with any applicable safeguards agreement;
f) les mesures proposées pour aider le Canada à respecter tout accord relatif aux garanties qui s'applique;
(g) the proposed commissioning program for the systems and equipment that will be used at the nuclear facility;
g) le programme de mise en service proposé pour les systèmes et l'équipement de l'installation nucléaire;
(h) the effects on the environment and the health and safety of persons that may result from the operation and decommissioning of the nuclear facility, and the measures that will be taken to prevent or mitigate those effects;
h) les effets sur l'environnement ainsi que sur la santé et la sécurité des personnes que peuvent avoir l'exploitation et le déclassement de l'installation nucléaire, de même que les mesures qui seront prises pour éviter ou atténuer ces effets;
(i) the proposed location of points of release, the proposed maximum quantities and concentrations, and the anticipated volume and flow rate of releases of nuclear substances and hazardous substances into the environment, including their physical, chemical and radiological characteristics;
i) l'emplacement proposé des points de rejet, les quantités et les concentrations maximales proposées, ainsi que le volume et le débit d'écoulement prévus des rejets de substances nucléaires et de substances dangereuses dans l'environnement, y compris leurs caractéristiques physiques, chimiques et radiologiques;
(j) the proposed measures to control releases of nuclear substances and hazardous substances into the environment;
j) les mesures proposées pour contrôler les rejets de substances nucléaires et de substances dangereuses dans l'environnement;
(k) the proposed measures to prevent or mitigate the effects of accidental releases of nuclear substances and hazardous substances on the environment, the health and safety of persons and the maintenance of national security, including measures to
k) les mesures proposées pour éviter ou atténuer les effets que les rejets accidentels de substances nucléaires et de substances dangereuses peuvent avoir sur l’environnement, sur la santé et la sécurité des personnes ainsi que sur le maintien de la sécurité nationale, y compris les mesures visant à :
(i) assist off-site authorities in planning and preparing to limit the effects of an accidental release,
(i) aider les autorités extérieures à effectuer la planification et la préparation en vue de limiter les effets d'un rejet accidentel,
(ii) notify off-site authorities of an accidental release or the imminence of an accidental release,
(ii) aviser les autorités extérieures d'un rejet accidentel ou de l'imminence d'un tel rejet,
(iii) report information to off-site authorities during and after an accidental release,
(iii) tenir les autorités extérieures informées pendant et après un rejet accidentel,
(iv) assist off-site authorities in dealing with the effects of an accidental release, and
(iv) aider les autorités extérieures à remédier aux effets d'un rejet accidentel,
(v) test the implementation of the measures to prevent or mitigate the effects of an accidental release;
(v) mettre à l'épreuve l'appli