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PrairiesCan spending $832,500 to help Saskatchewan businesses prepare for SMRs

October 20, 2023 – Dan Vandal, Minister for Prairies Economic Development Canada, announced a federal investment of $832,500 to help Saskatchewan businesses become qualified suppliers in nuclear and clean mining supply chains.

Funding is provided to a partnership of the Saskatchewan Industrial and Mining Suppliers’ Association Inc. (SIMSA), First Nations Power Authority of Saskatchewan Inc., and the Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries.

“Canada is leading the world in the deployment of small modular reactors and we’re excited to see Saskatchewan planning for SMRs as part of their clean energy mix,” said Bill Walker, president & CEO, Organization of Canadian Nuclear Industries.

This investment, says PrairiesCan, will help Saskatchewan businesses gain the knowledge and earn accreditations necessary to meet nuclear supply chain standards, achieve net-zero, environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards for mining suppliers, and develop a supplier database of Indigenous businesses working in nu-clear and clean energy supply chains.

“We are proud to be part of the solution to driving meaningful engagement of Indigenous businesses with our partners, SIMSA, OCNI, as well as PrairiesCan and CIC,” said Guy Lonechild, CEO, First Nations Power Authority of Saskatchewan Inc.

PrairiesCan is providing $832,500 to nuclear and clean mining sectors through the Regional Innovation Ecosystems Program. This investment builds on $240,000 provided in 2022 to support SIMSA’s concierge service.

Through Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa has approved up to $74 million in federal funding for SMR development in Saskatchewan, led by SaskPower.

Saskatchewan’s nearly $1 billion-a-year uranium industry made Canada the world’s second-largest producer in 2022, according to the World Nuclear Association.