Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) welcomed several guests and dignitaries to the Chalk River Laboratories campus today to celebrate the construction of the Science Collaboration Centre. AECL President and CEO, Fred Dermarkar, was joined by Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, Marc Serré, CNL President and CEO, Joe McBrearty, and several local dignitaries, for a ceremony to commemorate the occasion.
This facility is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2023 and will serve as the central planning and collaboration space for activities at the Chalk River Laboratories.
“The Science Collaboration Centre demonstrates how the Chalk River Laboratories are being transformed into a world-class, state-of-the-art nuclear science and technology campus”, commented Fred Dermarkar, President and CEO of AECL. “Not only are we investing in the future of science and innovation in Canada, but we are doing it responsibly by using sustainability as a driver for design and construction. This is the future of science, clean technologies and clean energy.”
“The Science Collaboration Centre is one of three buildings rising up at Chalk River that showcase the benefits of using wood to combat a changing climate while supporting the ambitious revitalization, and work, of Canada’s premier nuclear research facility,” said PS Serré. “The Government of Canada is proud to have supported their construction through a $4 million contribution as we remain committed to creating a cleaner, more sustainable and inclusive future.”
“Once complete, the Science Collaboration Centre will change the way CNL conducts work, providing us with a modern, flexible and sustainable collaboration centre to plan and pursue our research”, added Joe McBrearty, CNL’s President and CEO. “It is also one of a handful of new buildings that will help transform the site into a ‘smart campus,’ which is at the centre of the future of the Chalk River Laboratories.”
AECL is investing $1.2 billion over ten years to renew the science and site supporting infrastructure at the Chalk River Laboratories. The objective is to revitalize the site and transform it into a world-class, state of-the-art nuclear science and technology campus that benefits Canadians in areas as diverse as health, clean energy, safety and security and the protection of the environment.
The Science Collaboration Centre is one of several new construction projects at the Chalk River Laboratories being designed and constructed using new generation of mass timber products. This material represents a sustainable construction approach and showcases AECL and CNL’s commitment to green construction and environmental stewardship.
Such projects are receiving almost $4 million in financial support under the Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) Program, which is administered by Natural Resources Canada and aims to increase the use of wood in infrastructure projects as a green building material.