Nuclear Free Canada

Despite over 50-years of development and government support in Canada, nuclear power continues to be plagued by cost overruns, technical problems, accidents and the ongoing problem of how to manage its legacy of high-level nuclear waste.

In spite of having lost all credibility as a clean, cheap, safe and reliable energy source, the nuclear industry and its suporters still hope to build new nuclear power plants in Canada. Survival for the Canadian nuclear industry also depends on keeping its 22 aging CANDU reactors operating. But this will be no easy task – by 2020 all of Canada’s nuclear reactors must be shut down, unless our governments choose to wager tens of billions of dollars on risky reconstruction projects.

Sierra Club Canada works to encourage Canada to follow the lead of other nuclear dependant countries, such as Germany and Belgium, that have legislated the planned phase-out of their nuclear reactors in favour of green energy options...
More >>

Campaigns

Nuclear Phaseout
Radioactive Waste
Letter from Sierra Club Canada to Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission re: Bruce hearing
1 Sep, 2010   |   August 31, 2010 Dear Mr. Binder, I have reviewed Mr. LeBlanc’s response to my letter to you. He suggests I misunderstood the role of the CNSC staff in providing advice to the tribunal for consideration and that “the Commission tribunal is a quasi-judicial administrative body with independent members who make fair and transparent decisions based on all evidence presented to...
Group says CNSC has prejudiced hearing
30 Aug, 2010   |   Canada's nuclear regulator has "prejudiced" its public hearing by concluding that Bruce Power's plan to ship steam generators through the Great Lakes doesn't pose a significant safety risk, according to Great Lakes United. Derek Stack, executive director of the Canadian-American group, said the low-level radioactive waste shipments should be halted until the plan is...
Letter from John Bennett to Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission
17 Aug, 2010   |   Sierra Club Canada agrees with the CNSC on the topic of the transport of the Bruce Power steam generators. There is “value to ensuring both a proper understanding of the scope of this undertaking and presentation of accurate information relating to the health, safety and risk.” It is also important to maintain public confidence in the environmental assessment process and the CNSC...
Sierra Club Canada scores nuclear victory
5 Aug, 2010   |   A public outreach campaign by Sierra Club Canada and other organizations has resulted in public hearings on Bruce Power’s planned shipment of nuclear waste to Sweden. “There’s been a loud public outcry sparked by Bruce Power’s decision,” said John Bennett, Executive Director of Sierra Club Canada. “The hearings are a first step, but we think they should...
Should Bruce Power ship 16,000 tonnes of waste through Ontario?
5 Aug, 2010   |   On September 29th, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission will hold a public hearing on a Bruce Power plan to ship 16,000 tonnes of radioactive waste through Ontario to Sweden to be melted down. Bruce Power operates the Bruce Nuclear Generating Station, one of the largest nuclear power plants in the world, on the shore of Lake Huron in southern Ontario. The steam generators from a section...
More >>