Environmental - Nuclear
Macleod Dixon's lawyers in Calgary, Alberta and Toronto, Ontario have a thorough understanding of the Canadian Nuclear Safety and Control Act and its regulations, including the requirements for licensing nuclear facilities, substances and equipment, the administrative procedures to obtain, renew and transfer such licenses, and the provisions for liability arising out of nuclear substance storage, transfer and disposal.
Further, we have a thorough understanding of provincial environmental regulatory regimes and how they interact with the federal regime for nuclear regulation.
Related Areas
REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE
Advising a major uranium fuel bundles producer
We have historically provided environmental law advice to a major uranium fuel bundles producer in Ontario, particularly in the areas of due diligence, environmental and waste management matters.
Licensing of a Long-term NORMs Storage Site
We have provided legal advice with respect to environmental and regulatory issues associated with a client's desire to have a long-term NORMs storage site licensed by the CNSC under the Class I Nuclear Facilities Regulations as a long-term nuclear substance and prescribed equipment storage facility. This retainer included analysis and advice about licenses to prepare the site, and construct, operate, decommission and eventually abandon the facility, including the implication and requirements of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.
Regulation of Oil and Gas Tools Classified as Nuclear
We have been closely involved with three separate transactions whereby oil and gas well logging tools regulated under the Canadian Nuclear Safety and Control Act as nuclear devices have been transferred as part of larger corporate transactions. The scope of these retainers included applications to have such prescribed equipment transferred to the purchasers, the certification of such equipment, the qualification of personnel to hold, operate and maintain such equipment, and the licensing of storage facilities for such equipment.
Purchase and Sale of Nuclear Substances
We have provided legal advice to a New York Stock Exchange listed company on legal and regulatory matters for the purchase and sale of nuclear substances held in a third party storage facility, including opinions as to potential liabilities and protections under the Nuclear Liability Act, licensing requirements, tax, insolvency and international obligations.
Uranium Storage Facility
We are currently representing the owner of a uranium storage facility which is subject to regulation by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) under the Canadian Nuclear Safety and Control Act. As part of this mandate we have successfully intervened before the CNSC in public hearings held to determine whether the facility operator's license should be extended, renewed or rescinded. We have also assisted our client in developing a regulatory plan in the event the operator/tenant defaults in complying with the CNSC order and our client is required to apply for and obtain licenses from the CNSC to construct, operate, decommission and abandon a nuclear substance storage facility or, alternatively, to package and transport the nuclear substance off site for disposal.
The scope of this work includes advice with respect to not only the requirements to conduct an environmental impact assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, but also the manifesting, placarding and other requirements under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act.
