Many people are unaware that the nuclear industry is highly regulated by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC).
On Tuesday, October 7th (2025), representatives from CNSC were invited to Elgin Lodge Retirement home where they explained the purpose of the CNSC.
Given that the community is near a nuclear facility (Bruce Power), they also explained that they were in the area to do sampling through their Independent Environmental Monitoring Program (IEMP). Through the IEMP, they sample everything from air to water, soil to sediment, vegetation and local foods such as milk, meat and produce.
Thousands of samples are collected in public spaces that include parks, woodlands and beaches as well as around uranium mines, uranium and nuclear processing facilities, nuclear power plants, research and medical isotope production facilities and waste management facilities.
The samples collected are then sent to CNSC’s lab in Ottawa where they are measured for radiological contaminants such as tritium, uranium , possible radioactive carbon, iodine and cesium. In addition, they also measure non-radiological or hazardous substances such as heavy metals.
Residents of Elgin Lodge said they found the presentation “very interesting” and many were unaware of the regulatory body and the work that it does.
For more information, visit cnsc.info.ccsn@cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca
“We like to provide our residents with all kinds of interesting topics as they themselves come from a wide variety of backgrounds,” says Marketing Director, Ann-Marie Collins.
