{"id":8515,"date":"2021-11-23T16:58:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-23T21:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cnl.ca\/?page_id=8515"},"modified":"2025-08-26T09:46:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T13:46:30","slug":"cnl-cleanup-function-land-use-program","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cnl.ca\/environmental-stewardship\/cnl-cleanup-function-land-use-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Future Land Use"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\t\tLand Use Program\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n
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\n\t\t\t\tThrough the Land Use Program (LUP), CNL will be able to ensure a consistent approach to establishing and achieving the right next land uses and end states for sites being decommissioned and remediated. The LUP is in alignment with the latest Canadian regulatory guidance, which emphasizes the importance of early and meaningful Indigenous and public engagement as well as to ensure that CNL sites develop robust, relevant and achievable plans for decommissioning and environmental remediation of legacy liabilities.<\/p>\n

Understanding the future land uses of a site is key in guiding the right level of decommissioning and environmental remediation. This is important for sites that are closing and being restored for potential reuse in the future. It is also important for the revitalization of Chalk River to ensure the cleanup of legacy liabilities is successful and areas of the site can be safely reused to support CNL\u2019s enduring mission in nuclear science and technology.\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t \n \t<\/div>\n \n \n \n\t<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\t\n \n \n \n<\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” z_index=”” css=”.vc_custom_1637703304763{margin-top: 64px !important;}”][vc_column]

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\n\t\t\t\tGuiding decommissioning and environmental remediation of CNL sites\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n
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\n\t\t\t\tThrough CNL\u2019s Land Use Program (LUP) we are supporting the Government of Canada\u2019s commitment to a cleaner and healthier environment and delivering on CNL\u2019s mission to Restore and Protect the Environment. The LUP works across all CNL sites to ensure that decommissioning and environmental remediation is being planned and executed- taking into account the entirety of each site.\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t \n \t<\/div>\n \n \n \n\t<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\t\n \n \n \n<\/div>[vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1637788001166{margin-top: 64px !important;}”][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Frequently asked questions<\/h3>\n

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\r\n\r\n\t \r\n What are next land uses? <\/span>\r\n<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n<\/span>\r\n<\/h4>\r\n\r\n
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\r\n [vc_column_text]Next land uses are potential future uses of an area or site that is being cleaned up. Next land uses must be defined in order to determine \u201chow clean is clean?\u201d when planning decommissioning and remediation and defining the end state.<\/p>\n

Examples: The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment provides environmental quality guidelines based on exposure scenarios for agricultural, industrial, commercial, and residential\/parkland land use categories.[\/vc_column_text] <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\t \r\n What is an end state? <\/span>\r\n<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n<\/span>\r\n<\/h4>\r\n\r\n
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\r\n [vc_column_text]An end state is the agreed environmental (physical, chemical and radiological) condition of a site at the completion of decommissioning and remediation. How are end states and next land uses determined?<\/p>\n

Next land uses and end states are determined by following the CNL land use program process, which emphasises the importance of effective engagement. The process guides sites and projects in taking a holistic approach to planning and on when to engage interested members of the public and Indigenous communities and organizations in order to inform the cleanup planning.[\/vc_column_text] <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\t \r\n How is the Land Use Program applicable to each CNL site? <\/span>\r\n<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n<\/span>\r\n<\/h4>\r\n\r\n
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\r\n [vc_column_text]All CNL sites (e.g. Chalk River Laboratories, Whiteshell Laboratories, Nuclear Power Demonstration Site etc.) that are conducting decommissioning, demolition, and environmental remediation work are required to follow the Land Use Program.[\/vc_column_text] <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\t \r\n How does the LUP apply to the continued operations of Chalk River Laboratories? <\/span>\r\n<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n<\/span>\r\n<\/h4>\r\n\r\n
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\r\n [vc_column_text]The Chalk River laboratories site has an enduring mission and is undergoing site revitalization to continue conducting world class nuclear research. The LUP is applicable at CRL as there are legacy liabilities that must be addressed in order achieve a sustainable future for the site. The cleanup planning for the site therefore must take into account near-term and long-term next land uses in order to decommission and remediate effectively.[\/vc_column_text] <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\t \r\n How does the new LUP impact current decommissioning and environmental remediation work? <\/span>\r\n<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n<\/span>\r\n<\/h4>\r\n\r\n
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\r\n [vc_column_text]The LUP helps to ensure that decommissioning, demolition, and environmental remediation will take a holistic site wide approach.<\/p>\n

This ensures CNL sites and projects are conducting work effectively in order to successfully reduce legacy liabilities and ensures the cleanup of AECL’s nuclear sites across Canada is done in a consistent and effective way.[\/vc_column_text] <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n

\r\n\r\n\t \r\n What is the Chalk River Laboratories ODCP? <\/span>\r\n<\/span>\r\n\r\n \r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n <\/span>\r\n<\/span>\r\n<\/h4>\r\n\r\n
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\r\n [vc_column_text]The Chalk River Laboratories (CRL) site is undergoing major revitalization efforts to enable Canadian Nuclear Laboratories\u2019 (CNL) mission to advance nuclear science and technology and develop peaceful and innovative applications through its world class expertise in advanced reactors, safety & security, isotopes, radiobiology, the environment, hydrogen and tritium technologies and reactor fleet sustainability.<\/p>\n

To support its mission, CNL is in the process of creating a modernized research campus by first decommissioning and removing old, obsolete buildings and infrastructure, mostly within the built-up area. Once environmental remediation is undertaken to clean up the contamination associated with any impacted areas, reusable land will be available for new facilities to support innovative research and development in nuclear science and technology.<\/p>\n

These revitalization efforts support the effective management and reduction of Canada\u2019s nuclear liabilities through environmental remediation towards a sustainable and healthy environment.<\/p>\n

The Overview Decommissioning and Cleanup Plan (ODCP)<\/a> is, as its name suggests, an overview of planned decommissioning as well as of environmental remediation activities.<\/em><\/p>\n

The ODCP serves two crucial purposes:<\/p>\n