Funding, News and Announcements

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) are pleased to announce a new initiative to support university research on small modular reactors. 

This initiative is made possible through a new partnership between NSERC and the CNSC that supports the goals of the 2022 Federal Budget to position Canada as a clean energy leader. Small modular reactors (SMRs) offer a promising pathway to support Canada’s low carbon energy transition and are expected to be less complex, easier to operate, and more cost effective than current nuclear technology. This joint initiative will enhance research and knowledge, supporting the deployment of SMRs in a safe and secure manner and strengthening the science needed for regulatory decisions.

These grants will provide support up to $120,000 per year, for up to three years. A second funding call is expected in 2025 to either extend existing projects and/or fund new projects for a two or three-year duration.

The NSERC-CNSC Small Modular Reactors Research Grant Initiative is intended to support activities that will:

• increase the scientific information available to support regulatory decision-making and oversight
• increase capacity to regulate SMRs
• enhance the capabilities of Canadian universities to undertake research related to SMRs
• increase training and help produce a new generation of nuclear scientists, engineers, and policy makers

Deadlines

Internal: November 22, 2022 at 4:30pm. Contact the grants facilitator for your faculty. For additional resources, click here for guidance on internal deadlines and submission processes.

Funder: December 13, 2022 at 9pm AST. If you have any questions, please contact RP-Initiatives-PR@nserc-crsng.gc.ca.