More than 150 leaders from across the nuclear industry, municipal government, education, business and community sectors came together this week for the second-annual Clean Energy Frontier Conference, hosted by the Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII).
Over two days (October 21–22) at the NII Advance Technology Campus in Tiverton, participants explored how the region’s clean energy projects are driving economic growth, workforce opportunities and innovation that will help Canada meet its future energy demands.
In his keynote address, Eric Chassard, President and CEO of Bruce Power, spoke about the province’s growing energy needs and the company’s ongoing efforts to meet them focusing on the work happening locally to help secure a clean energy future.
“We will deliver on Bruce Power’s life-extension program and innovative approaches to increasing power generation output—while focusing on finding efficiencies throughout our operations and keeping workers safe.Yes, it’s hard work, but that’s how you secure the future. So, my question to you is: Are you ready?”
The event featured sessions on workforce trends, youth engagement, isotope ecosystem development and regional growth. Highlights participants heard include:
- Nearly 2,700 full-time equivalent jobs in Kincardine and Saugeen Shores could be created or supported annually over the lifetime of the proposed Bruce C project, according to an interim report from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.
- Net support for nuclear energy has almost doubled since 2022—polling insights from Innovative Research Group show that nuclear energy has seen the greatest increase in support of any form of power generation in consideration in Ontario.
- Municipalities, energy sector partners, service providers and other regional leaders heard actionable takeaways from a community resiliency study undertaken by the Bruce Power Nexus Research Centre, hosted at NII—key among these was the collaboration that must continue to grow between all of these groups as communities manage sustainable growth.
“At NII, we are collaborative at our core. Today, in this room, we have over 150 professionals from the nuclear industry, elected officials, community leaders, academic and service partners, vendors and entrepreneurs,” said Jessica Linthorne, President and CEO of the Nuclear Innovation Institute. “I cannot think of another sector conference that welcomes this diversity of an audience.”
Michelle Goetz, NII Manager of Workforce Development led a discussion on youth attraction and retention in the Clean Energy Frontier region with a panel of youth representatives from industry and education.
James Scongack, NII Board Chair and Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at Bruce Power also reflected on advancing efficiencies in the nuclear industry, while continually ensuring safety and worker wellbeing.
The Clean Energy Frontier Conference continues to serve as a platform for open dialogue, new ideas and partnerships that strengthen Ontario’s clean energy ecosystem—and NII is grateful for the support of event sponsors – Bruce Power as this year’s title sponsor, and founding sponsors that include BWXT, Cameco, Candu Energy, E.S. Fox, Kinectrics, Power Workers’ Union and the Town of Saugeen Shores, in addition to partner-level sponsors …
- Aecon, ATS Industrial Automation
- Boilermakers – Local 128
- Canadian Union of Skilled Workers
- Cohesive, Framatome
- NPX Innovation
- Provincial Building & Construction Trades Council of Ontario
- Sargent & Lundy
- Teeswater Concrete
- Unified Automation
- Westinghouse.
and Collaborator-level sponsors Grey-Bruce Accelerator, Ironworkers Local 736, The Paisley Inn, STEVCON Packaging & Logistics, Tetra Tech and UBC Local 2222.
Learn more about all of NII’s work at nii.ca.
About the Nuclear Innovation Institute: The Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII) is a member-based not-for-profit organization with a vision of a Canadian landscape that celebrates an innovative nuclear industry as an integral part of the clean energy future. NII’s role in driving sector transformation, skill development and an innovative nuclear voice supports members and encourages collaborative engagement with communities, industries and governments.
Learn more at nii.ca and join the conversation on LinkedIn (Nuclear Innovation Institute), Instagram (@niiatwork), and Facebook (@OntarioNII).
