Image: Ontario Power Generation
On Thursday, October 23, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Doug Ford announced a combined funding of $3 billion to build Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station. This announcement is a decisive policy win for Ontario’s engineering community.
SMRs are engineering innovations. This generational investment represents the significant role of engineering work in long-term energy planning and nation-building projects. It is also a significant policy win for OSPE, which has been advocating for SMRs as a clean energy solution for many years.
The provincial government has committed that 80 percent of project spending will go to Ontario-based companies, ensuring the majority of the design, manufacturing, and construction work will be performed by local engineers, technologists, and skilled tradespeople.
The project is also expected to:
- Create approximately 18,000 jobs during the construction phase,
- Generate 3,700 long-term operational and maintenance positions, and
- Support indirect roles across supply chains, manufacturing, and engineering services.
This investment will fuel growth in nuclear, mechanical, civil, electrical, and systems engineering, as well as in digital design, automation, modular construction, and safety systems. It will also reinforce Ontario’s manufacturing base and enhance the province’s capacity to export nuclear technology and expertise worldwide.
Through years of engagement with policymakers, OSPE has consistently highlighted the need for:
- A diverse, low-carbon energy mix that includes nuclear power,
- Evidence-based planning grounded in engineering expertise, and
- Investment in domestic engineering capacity to deliver major infrastructure projects.
The renewed $3 billion investment is a direct reflection of these principles. It demonstrates that engineering-informed policy and engineering work is necessary to achieve Ontario’s climate and economic goals.
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