Canada wildfires: Energy minister describes ongoing blazes as “heartbreaking”

The Cobalt 60 radiation therapy that was developed here by Harold Johns and his team was the first in the world to successfully treat a cancer patient and it went on to save the lives of millions of cancer patients around the world its casing was made not that far from here

On Idlewild Drive at the Acme machine company it’s a true Saskatchewan story of a can-do attitude and world-class expertise right here in this province this city and this University it wouldn’t have happened though without the work of graduate student at the time Sylvia fedoric after whom the Sylvia Fedora Canadian Center for nuclear

Innovation is named she was responsible for ensuring The Machine’s accuracy critical to its success that pioneering spirit continues to this day across our campuses and we were just reminded of that on today’s tour of the Sylvia Fedora Canadian Center for nuclear Innovation that we just completed the University of Saskatchewan and the

Fedoric center are committed to finding local solutions to National and Global challenges for the benefit of the many communities that we serve today’s announcement aligns with our research Mission and our dedication to continually push the boundaries of Science and Discovery and to sow the seeds of innovation

We’re honored to be joined today by the federal government for this exciting announcement and I’m proud to Welcome Home The Honorable Jonathan Wilkinson a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan who went on to become a Rhodes scholar in 1988 and now serves as Canada’s minister of energy and natural

Resources please join me in welcoming The Honorable Jonathan Wilkinson to make today’s announcement [Applause] thank you thank you very much Peter for the very kind introduction it is uh certainly a pleasure to be back at the University of Saskatchewan my alma mater I did my undergraduate work here I do

Want to begin by also acknowledging that the land on which we are meeting is treaty six territory and the homeland of the metis before I get to today’s announcement I do want to speak to all Canadians who are watching in horror as devastating wildfires continue to sweep across this

Country I want to express my deepest sympathies to the folks from Yellowknife and Kelowna and countless other communities throughout Northwest Territories in British Columbia who have been forced to flee their homes and for some whose hurlings have been burnt down today the Prime Minister convened another incident Response Group with

Ministers and Senior officials to discuss the ongoing Wildfire situation the bottom line is that this is our government’s number one priority and its most important responsibility at this point in time we continue to work across Federal departments to provide communities with the support they need to keep people safe and healthy

We are actively helping and we will continue to help people in Northwest Territories in British Columbia and across Canada for as long as it takes at the heart of this response are the men and women who make up our Canadian Armed Forces who yesterday alone had two evacuation flights departing from

Yellowknife one of which was a globe Master which transported approximately 40 medical evacuees and long-term care residents to Vancouver and another was through at Hercules which evacuated approximately 40 passengers to Edmonton and Calgary my department energy and Natural Resources Canada and I are significantly engaged in this government’s response to

Keeping people safe I was actually in Prince Albert earlier today meeting with the Prince Albert Grand council’s indigenous Wildfire stewards whom the federal government is providing over half a million dollars in funding to increase Community capacity Wildfire Readiness and response and just over a week ago I announced with the International Association of

Firefighters a pilot program to train 325 structural firefighters to equip them with the skills they need to suppress fires in the Wildland Urban interface training in Kamloops is already underway and it will continue elsewhere in western Canada over the coming months we are also providing 13.2 million dollars over five years through our

Equipment fund to the government of the Northwest Territories to purchase specialized Wildfire equipment external services such as helicopters and seasonal detection aircraft and to train and hire additional personnel funding is Flowing right now to the territorial government and we are actively exploring how we can expand this support with immediate effect

Federal government is providing the government of British Columbia with money from the same fund to purchase vital Wildfire firefighting equipment including flight simulator computer components water tanks generators pumps forklifts and trailers these climate-related disasters that we are seeing in Canada right now are certainly one of the reasons we continue

To advance our actions to combat climate change with urgency to today’s announcement it is a great pleasure to be at the University of Saskatchewan home to the Sylvia fedoric Center an important facility placing the province among the global leaders in nuclear research development and training as somebody who grew up in

Saskatoon and who did my undergraduate here at the University of Saskatchewan I cannot think of a better place for this important announcement foreign schematic in the immediate term our priority must be making sure that amidst these climate-related disasters affected communities are supported but beyond the immediate term as a

Country we have a choice to make about our environmental and our economic future there are effectively two paths that we can take the first path effect accepts that climate change is a reality a scientific reality one that we can and that we must address it recognizes that the world is

Moving in this direction and that this is creating a shift in investment and Innovation and that this shift can open up economic opportunities for those who are thoughtful and those who are strategic the second path starts with shrugging off the damage that climate change is already causing in our communities the

Floods in our towns and cities wildfires in our forest dried up Rivers melting glaciers it pretends the climate concern is a fad that will fade and that we really don’t need to do anything significant to keep our economy or our planet healthy for the long term

I think of the first path as having a plan for the future a real plan for the future and the second is hoping for the best I will tell you that this federal government has chosen the first path if we make smart policy choices now and plan for the future we can address

Climate change and create thousands and thousands of well-paying jobs along the way it Bears emphasizing that in this Global race to Net Zero an electricity grid that powers our homes our businesses our Industries our country with clean reliable and affordable electricity is Mission critical for every Province and territory in this country

It is important in the context yes of decarbonizing the electricity grid but it is also critically important because it is enabler for us to reduce emissions in transportation in buildings and Industrial processes it is also increasingly key to being able to seize the economic opportunities that can be

Enabled through a transition to a low-carbon future here in Saskatchewan the Jansen potash mine will be the lowest carbon emitting potash mine in the world that is a choice that was made by BHP because they have to account for the carbon that is embedded in the products that they sell

Increasingly we’re seeing that across the board in Alberta with Al who wants to build a large-scale net zero petrochemical facility in Ontario with green Steel in Quebec with green aluminum and certainly batteries and other Technologies are looking for the same thing clean power this will demand yes of the decarbonized

Grid but it’s also going to demand a much larger Grid in fact we are going to need to double or more the amount of electricity we generate in this country by 2050. the good news is that Canada already has a head start over 80 percent of our grid is not emitting however as

We work to bring electricity in every region of this country to ensure that it is reliable on emitting and affordable we have to recognize that different provinces and territories have unique challenges and opportunities and we must be committed to working collaboratively to develop Pathways to ensure every region of Canada succeeds

In this important endeavor as I say provinces and territories have different starting points for example British Columbia Quebec Manitoba Newfoundland Labrador already have close to 100 non-eventing grids but that’s not the case in Saskatchewan a province that still meets many of its energy needs with coal and unabated natural gas

There will necessarily need to be different Pathways to achieving the clean grid of the future while Quebec has abundant Hydro resources to serve as a source of Base load power Saskatchewan we’ll look to Solutions including abated natural gas Renewables with storage and yes nuclear energy this clean electricity transformation

And the benefits that it will bring will look different in every region of Canada which calls for a plan that recognizes this the diversity of our country one that works to ensure the prosperity of every region of Canada a couple of weeks ago I released the federal government’s vision for the

Future of electricity a vision aimed at ensuring all regions of this country will have access to clean reliable and affordable electricity this paper which we called powering Canada forward articulates the federal government’s vision of how with hard work and active collaboration with provinces and territories indigenous leaders academic

Institutions and a range of other stakeholders Canada can achieve a clean electricity grid that is reliable and affordable in all parts of this country the paper recognizes that much of the future is electric that meeting our climate goals and competing in a rapidly geek organizing global economy means we

Need to strengthen our clean electricity advantage Dubai foreign it represents a call to action to accelerate discussions and work among provinces like Saskatchewan territories indigenous leaders utilities and Industry the private sector unions academics and Civil Society about how we can work together to build that clean reliable and affordable electric grid

Just two weeks ago my colleague Minister Gilbo released Canada’s draft clean electricity regulations it aims to provide regulatory Clarity enabling the necessary Investments to be made early enough to ensure we achieve a net zero electricity grid that is also reliable and affordable importantly for Saskatchewan these draft regulations provide the flexibility needed to

Support grid reliability by allowing the province’s existing gas plants to operate for the length of their prescribed life for peaker plants to run unabated when necessary and provide for new natural gas plants to be constructed with the use of carbon capture and sequestration the electricity and clean energy

Conversation is one that looks different as I say in different parts of this vast and different land we must be thoughtful and sensitive to local resources and circumstances and we must work in active collaboration but we also must be bold which brings me to today it is my

Pleasure to announce that the federal government will be providing up to 74 million dollars to SAS power and the government of Saskatchewan to support SAS power’s first proposed small modular reactor project these federal funds will support SAS Powers pre-engineering work and Technical studies environmental assessments regulatory studies and community and Indigenous engagement to

Help Advance this important project this includes 50 million dollars in funds from Natural Resources Canada and another 24 million from Environment Canada and environment and climate change Canada SAS power has selected the GE Hitachi bwrx 300 has the prime technology and expects to make a final project decision in 2029

This project Builds on an announcement by the government of Ontario last year that it would build the first SMR at its Darlington nuclear facility and that SMR is intended to be operational in 2029 smrs represent a new field of innovation in nuclear technology one that has the potential to provide abundant

Non-emitting power and despair economic activity and growth and one that could drive decarbonization in heavy industry helping Canada to achieve its climate goals Canada has very long been a nuclear leader we have a world-class regulator and a strong domestic supply chain that employs over 75 000 Canadians already

Our nuclear sector already helps us to avoid 80 million tons of carbon emissions a year in Ontario and New Brunswick it has helped Ontario attract investment and move away from coal going from 53 smog days a year to zero and of course can do reactors are a made

In Canada Innovation that have been exported around the world with today’s announcement we are building on this Legacy and investing in the future of non-emitting nuclear technologies to power us forward a future that leverages Saskatchewan’s World leading production of uranium to create jobs and help bring non-emitting reliable and affordable power to

Saskatchewanans across this province this important announcement complements other recent Federal Government initiatives to ensure Saskatchewan will Thrive economically and environmentally in a low-carbon future just a short drive from here BHP is developing the Jensen potash line mine with 74 million dollars in federal government support the mine is expected

To not only be the biggest in the world but also the most sustainable and lowest emission mine potash mine in the world when it starts production in 2026. in the south of the province the kawasus first nation is developing a 200 megawatt wind project and a 10 megawatt

Solar farm to generate clean power and create well-paying jobs and local economic opportunities these projects were made possible through funding provided by Natural Resources Canada and the Canada infrastructure Bank these are just a few examples of projects already underway in addition we are actively engaged in discussions on a

Range of other potential projects including Saskatchewan research council’s critical mineral processing work and the foreign mining Net Zero copper mining proposal in in northeastern Saskatchewan there are enormous economic opportunities that are available for Saskatchewan if we are thoughtful and if we are strategic in the transition towards a low-carbon future

I believe very much that Canada works best when Canadians work together to be successful in building an economy that will thrive in a rapidly decarbonizing world we will need the active collaboration of governments indigenous leaders industry and labor it is important in every Province and territory it is certainly very important

Here in Saskatchewan to me while I live in British Columbia Saskatchewan has been and will always be one of my homes it is where I grew up it is where I build memories with my family it is where I always return to spend time in the beauty that is Saskatchewan’s boreal forest

And perhaps it is also why I am so excited about the tremendous possibilities that exist for this province if we are thoughtful strategic collaborative and bold I very much look forward to working with Folks at the announcement today with the government of Saskatchewan and with saskatchewanans across the province to

Ensure we seize the opportunities that lie before us I do want to thank very much the University of Saskatchewan for hosting us today and uh with that thank you very much [Applause] thank you very much Minister Wilkinson and I am delighted to welcome you back to your alma mater and that your

Government’s announcement has been held right here your SMR Project funding announcement marks an exciting day for our province as we look forward to exploring the development of Clean safe and efficient small modular reactors is a sustainable energy option and to creating new opportunities in our communities and the University of

Saskatchewan and the fedoric center are proud to support this new development as we look ahead to an exciting future of collaboration and Innovation and supportive advancing nuclear science on our campuses throughout the province and across the country thank you all once again for joining us here today

And I would now like to invite members of the media to come forward for the opportunity to conduct interviews with the minister thank you thank you all for coming um let’s do one question or follow-up please introduce yourself in your organization and we’ll get rolling

What would you have to say to the people of Kelowna Yellowknife elsewhere who are worried about their families about their properties about their future what would you say to them well I mean look it it’s heartbreaking watching what is happening um it’s heartbreaking hearing the stories of people who are losing their homes

Um having to move their families having to evacuate their children uh in the face of of such dangerous conditions what I would say to them is I think all Canadians are feeling for for folks who have been directly impacted and what those folks need to know is that irrespective of partisan

Affiliation governments at different levels are working actively to try to do everything that we possibly can to fight the fires but also to support the people who actually have been impacted or have been evacuated from these communities and that is true at the provincial and territorial level it is certainly true

At the municipal level the government of Canada is acting and we are very much looking at what more we can do to be part of the solution here to uh to help families that have been affected do you think well I certainly think that we have acted um we have acted early

Um you know part of this is um reacting in the moment in terms of the support that’s been required and as you’ve seen the Canadian Armed Forces for example has been deployed across this country over the past number of months we have we have worked with International Partners I signed a new

Agreement with the Americans just a few months ago to try to facilitate the the exchange of firefighters and firefighting equipment across borders and we’ve done that with other countries as well we’ve certainly been there coordinating with uh with the provinces and territories in terms of support services for people that have been

Impacted but there’s also the discussion with respect to Upstream as to how do we actually get in front of this like this is unfortunately you know the new normal maybe not quite to the extremes that we’re seeing this this summer but climate change is creating conditions

That are going to mean more in the way of forest fires they’re going to be more in the way of dry conditions and more heat and we need to find ways to get in front of that we just released a few months ago Canada’s first national adaptation strategy part of that is

About trying to get in front of that with programs like fire smart with programs like training the um the International Association of firefighters to help us with that interface space between communities in the wildlands so look I mean we are doing everything that we possibly can think of we are

Open to suggestions from other levels of government we’re working actively with them but for folks who are impacted it’s hard to say you’ve done enough they’ve been impacted at the end of the day we are doing everything that we possibly can and I think that’s what Canadians would expect of their leaders in

English and French or okay um so my understanding is certainly people have been told to evacuate my understanding is there may still be some people who have not yet left and I know that the municipality is working to encourage those folks to leave once you know once people have been asked to

Leave they obviously do need to leave I know how hard that would be for many people in terms of leaving their property but but they do need to leave for their own safety um the software uh Saskatchewan is a leader in uh in uranium production and exports around the world as well

Um but recently with developments in West Africa we have seen the supply chain uh as far as uranium uh be severely disrupted I just want to ask you a little bit about uranium and the importance of this industry here in Saskatchewan and the potential future of it

So I mean uranium’s been an important part of the Saskatchewan economy for a long time um but as you know we sort of went into a dip in in the development of new nuclear projects for a number of years and uh and I think that there is great

Reason to be optimistic about the prospects for uranium and for Saskatchewan um nuclear energy is going to be part of the energy mix of the future as we move towards anonymity grid it is not a silver bullet it’s not going to be used everywhere for everything but it is

Absolutely something that that many jurisdictions are going to rely on as part of their overall Energy Mix and you look around the world countries like France already rely on that Ontario here relies on that I think you are going to see increased demand for Uranium

Um as a result of that I also think and we’ve already seen that there’s increased demand for Uranium because the one of the other major producers is Biola Russia and increasingly people are trying to move away from the utilization of of the uranium that comes from Viola

Russia I I noted that kamikos recently signed an agreement with Ukraine to look at shifting uh the the the uranium source that is utilized in some of those reactors and I think that will also encourage further development but I would also say that I think Saskatchewan has an enormous opportunity kamiko’s

Recent acquisition of Westinghouse puts it in a different game it’s not just about producing uranium it’s actually about nuclear technology and I think that you know Tim gitzel I’ve known Tim gitzel the CEO of kamiko for many years we worked together for the government of Saskatchewan many years ago I think that

That there is enormous reason to be optimistic about the prospects for this province in the context of this conversation around nuclear energy and I’ll follow up on that a little bit so uh as far as exports to other countries go we understand that’s although Canada didn’t really import a

Lot of uh uranium from West African nations uh we know that countries like France and a lot of European countries and even the United States did as well uh could you speak to a little bit about that I remember you mentioned as well that you had an upcoming France trip is

This on the uh is this on the agenda for that yeah I mean interestingly the conversation that we will be having in Paris uh is around critical minerals and of course uranium is one one of the critical minerals and certainly we will be talking about Canada’s desire to be

Uh there to support our friends and allies uh around the world with critical minerals one of which is is uranium certainly others that Canada aspires to be a producer and an exporter of as well I would also say we we have active work going on with the United States on the

Nuclear fuel cycle I think everybody is looking at how they can ensure going forward that they are more energy secure one way for our allies to be more energy secure is to buy more energy from Canada um is the about the animals so the SMR

Are 100 Nets carbon free I mean like no pollution with this new technology no pollution associated with uh with the the generation of energy we obviously also have to look at the materials that go into building a plant so cement for example we have to get to the point

Where we’re producing Net Zero cement and net zero steel but once you have a plant built it is net zero it does not produce carbon emissions yes I mean from the government of Canada’s perspective and I think it’s shared with the government of Saskatchewan um it is very important that we are in

Involving indigenous communities in these conversations it’s important uh going forward that a lot of these major projects that were involving indigenous communities as Equity participants in projects whether that’s mining or it’s small modular reactors or it’s hydrogen production um you know that’s part of economic reconciliation is ensuring that some of

The economic benefits from projects that take place on their traditional territories actually flow back to those communities economic

Jonathan Wilkinson, energy and natural resources minister, described the ongoing wildfires in British Columbia and Northwest Territories as “heartbreaking” and said that the different levels of government are working actively to support affected communities as best they can.

He added that beyond the immediate term of the wildfires, Canada has “effectively two paths” that can be taken. He described the first as accepting climate change as a scientific reality that must be addressed, and the second as pretending climate concerns will fade.

This is Canada’s worst-ever wildfire season with more than 1,000 active fires burning across the country, including 265 in the Northwest Territories.

British Columbia declared a state of emergency Friday due to the “unprecedented” situation, Premier David Eby said. Meanwhile, all residents of Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories, and nearby First Nations, were given until 12 p.m. MT on Friday to evacuate.

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