The $4.7 billion that Canadian taxpayers have put into the nuclear industry during the past 40 years has been returned many times over, says a report sponsored by Atomic Energy of Canada and undertaken by management consultant Ernst & Young.
Since commercial electricity was first generated in Canada by nuclear power in 1962, the total contribution to gross domestic product by the nuclear industry has been at least $23 billion.
According to Tony Going of Ernst & Young, “the nuclear industry in Canada plays a significant role not only in the provision of electricity, but also in the creation of jobs and tax revenues for the various levels of government and contributes many other significant spinoff benefits.”
Last year, $3.7 billion worth of electricity was generated by Canadian nuclear reactors, providing 15% of the country’s supply.
Additionally, the nuclear industry directly employs 30,000 Canadians in more than 150 companies across six provinces, and 90% of these positions are full-time. Of these 30,000 jobs, 3,200 are engineers and scientists. Despite the recession, direct employment has increased 9% during the past three years. At least 10,000 more jobs in other related sectors indirectly depend on the nuclear industry.
Between 1988 and 1992, private-sector companies supplying nuclear products and services generated $9.4 billion in sales.
The sale of two Canadian deuterium uranium reactors to South Korea was Canada’s single largest export order in 1992.
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