Implementing Canada's plan

In June 2007 the Government of Canada selected Adaptive Phased Management (APM), as Canada’s plan for the long-term management of used nuclear fuel. The NWMO is now responsible for implementing this plan.

Overview

The NWMO publishes an annual update on the plan, titled Implementing Adaptive Phased Management. The most recent implementation plan is available below.

We actively seek public input to help shape our work, and we’ve launched an online survey to accompany our implementation plan. We hope the brief digital survey will encourage more people to share their thoughts and help shape the future of Canada’s plan for used nuclear fuel.

Canada's plan, also known as APM, is designed to be implemented in phases over many decades. We continually review, strengthen and adjust the plan in the face of new information, direction and guidance from communities, advances in science and technology, input from the public, insight from Indigenous Knowledge, changes in societal values, and evolving public policy.

The 2024-28 planning period includes not only confirming a safe site with informed and willing hosts for a deep geological repository, but also embarking on the next phase of Canada’s plan. The years following site selection will see a new series of activities, such as implementing partnership agreements with host communities, finalizing the safety case for the identified site, preparing to construct a Centre of Expertise, preparing for and participating in regulatory processes, and getting ready to move our operations to the site that is selected.

Implementing Canada's plan

Canada has a plan to safely manage used nuclear fuel for the long term. It involves containing and isolating used nuclear fuel in a deep geological repository to protect people and the environment.

Planning priorities

We have identified a series of priorities to guide us over the next five years:

Planning priorities

Related documents

Implementing Adaptive Phased Management 2024-28

Implementing Adaptive Phased Management 2024-28

This is the five-year strategic plan for the NWMO as we implement Canada’s plan for the safe, long-term management of used nuclear fuel.
Who we are

Who we are

We are a non-profit organization whose purpose is ensuring used nuclear fuel in Canada — including that created using new or emerging technologies — is managed safely for generations to come. Download our backgrounder to learn more.

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Canada's plan
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Canada's used nuclear fuel