Ontario shelves plans to acquire new nuclear reactors

Industry sources have confirmed to the Globe and Mail that Premier Kathleen Wynne is not pursuing former Premier Dalton McGuinty’s plan to purchase two new nuclear reactors. The Liberals have decided to shelve over $10 billion in  investments for nuclear power projects. The move was said to be part of the long-term energy plan of Wynne’s government which is set to be introduced in the next two months. 

 

Ontario relies heavily on nuclear power. Last year, 56 percent of the province’s energy supply was derived from nuclear sources. However, the support for nuclear power has significantly fallen after concerns about safety resurfaced after the Fukushima plant disasters in Japan two years back. The nuclear industry also faces stiff competition from companies that distribute cheap natural gas.

 

On a positive note Wynne has made a commitment to refurbish the nuclear station at Darlington. All four reactors at Darlington are set to be overhauled beginning in 2016. The facility currently supplies an estimated 20 percent of the electricity requirements in the province.

 

A refurbishment comes just in time, too.  Professionals have stressed the need to overhaul Darlington and many of the other nuclear reactors in Ontario.

There is no budget for the planned multi-year refurbishment of Darlington but if history is any indication, it’s bound to be an expensive undertaking. When the Pickering A nuclear station was refurbished about ten years ago, the estimated cost was pegged at $1.3 billion. When the project was completed, the cost ballooned to $2.6 billion, with only two of the four reactors actually overhauled.

Canada Steps Up On Diversity

Recent studies show that a diverse workforce is advantageous for any company. Businesses that hire employees from a wide variety of backgrounds enjoy greater creativity and productivity. However, the number of firms that can claim diversity in their employees is still limited.

One of the reasons for this is the lack of qualified candidates from the diversity pool. This is especially true for employers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) where the scarcity starts as early as college. Children who are interested in STEM at a young age don’t always pursue the field.  This results in a limited diversity pool for firms to choose from later on.

However, bold steps are being undertaken in Canada to recruit talent from a wide array of backgrounds. To encourage companies to hire more women, minorities and disabled candidates, steps have been taken to recognize employers that actually do so. In February, there were 55 winners named in the seventh annual Canada’s Best Diversity Employers competition. By promoting the idea that a more inclusive workplace is a recipe for success, other companies are encouraged to develop similar initiatives in their organizations. 

More companies are also advertising available positions in areas where the success rate for reaching diversity candidates is high. This includes community boards, ethnic and community centers and publications. Some firms are also developing linkages with groups that work with these diverse groups. These strategies allow organizations to widen their reach and promote employment where diversity candidates regularly search.

Although there is a limited pool to choose from when it comes to qualified diversity candidates in Canada, it seems an increased number of Canadian companies are creating more inclusive work places.