Canadian federal and provincial fund has been announced to support construction of the Small Modular Reactor Safety, Licensing, and Testing centre (SMR-SLT) at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan. The funding was announced by Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State (Rural Development), on behalf of Eleanor Olszewski, Minister of Emergency Management & Community Resilience and Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan).
Funding includes a Government of Canada investment of CAD1.96m ($1.4m) through PrairiesCan, alongside CAD4m from the Government of Saskatchewan. PrairiesCan is a federal government department supporting business growth, innovation and community economic development across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Provincial government support is provided via government owned SaskPower, the principal supplier of electricity in Saskatchewan, and a Crown Corporation. This includes CAD1m from provincial government agency Innovation Saskatchewan, which is also providing an in-kind contribution of the leased space at its R+T Park for the first three years of operation. Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) will also provide in-kind design support.
The SMR-SLT centre will include two non-nuclear test loops that model water-cooled SMR systems using electrical heat, allowing researchers to test components under conditions similar to operating reactors. This will provide industry and academic partners with access to the first modern SMR test loops in Western Canada. This will support innovation, workforce development, and the safe deployment of next-generation nuclear technologies.
The centre will be led by staff from the University of Regina, with support from the Global Institute for Energy, Minerals and Society (GIEMS) partnership between the University of Regina, University of Saskatchewan, and Saskatchewan Polytechnic, which will have access to the test loops for training and research.
Canada generates 15% of its power from nuclear energy, but none of it is produced in Western Canada. Saskatchewan has the largest high-grade uranium deposits in the world and provides almost a quarter of the world’s uranium supply for power generation. SMR deployment in Saskatchewan and across Canada is expected to harness more value from these natural resources. The project will create 18 direct jobs, support 10 small businesses, and train a highly skilled workforce, while advancing Saskatchewan’s preparation for the estimated 2,500 to 3,500 jobs required to build and operate NPPs by the mid-2030s.
“Saskatchewan has long been an energy leader, helping power Canada’s economy and strengthen our energy security. Small modular reactors are the next step in that leadership delivering reliable, affordable, and low-emission power while positioning Canada to be an energy superpower in a changing world,” said Eleanor Olszewski. “This investment in the University of Regina’s Small Modular Reactor Safety, Licensing, and Testing Centre will create new opportunities for Saskatchewan researchers and businesses, advance Canada’s nuclear expertise, and help build a resilient energy future for generations to come.”
Buckley Belanger noted: “Small modular nuclear reactors represent a fantastic opportunity for clean, low-emitting power, for good jobs, and for long-term economic growth right across the nuclear supply chain and across Saskatchewan. Our province is already home to some of the largest uranium reserves on the planet, and Saskatchewan has huge potential to establish itself as a leader in Canadian nuclear power – but none of that happens unless we get the first step right. Making sure nuclear development can happen safely, responsibly, and under strong regulation is essential, and that’s exactly what this investment in the University of Regina’s SMR Safety, Licensing and Testing centre is all about.”
Tim Hodgson, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources said SMRs “are essential to our government’s plan to deliver reliable, affordable, clean power and strengthen Canada’s energy security”. Saskatchewan’s Minister Responsible for Innovation, Warren Kaeding, said the SMR Testing Centre “will strengthen partnerships between academia, industry and government, elevating Canada’s leadership in energy research and nuclear technology solutions”.
Dr Jeff Keshen, University of Regina President & Vice-Chancellor, noted: “This new centre places our university at the heart of the province’s nuclear sector and positions us as a leader in SMR safety, licensing, and training in Western Canada. Through strong partnerships, we are advancing nuclear research while training the next generation of highly skilled professionals who will help shape Saskatchewan’s clean-energy future.”
“The Testing Centre will help to further establish Saskatchewan as a hub for nuclear excellence, advancing nuclear research, and supporting a local nuclear workforce and supply chain,” said Jeremy Harrison, Crown Investments Corporation Minister and Minister Responsible for SaskPower. “Nuclear power is central to our Government’s energy security strategy, which is why we are making the necessary investments to support industry readiness in the province.”
In October 2025, the Saskatchewan Government released its First Energy Security Strategy and Supply Plan outlining the path for a reliable and affordable power future. “The Government of Saskatchewan is committed to a nuclear future utilising our amazing Saskatchewan uranium resource to power our province and provide a secure energy future,” Harrison said at the time.
In June 2024, SaskPower identified two potential sites for Saskatchewan’s first SMR. Both sites are in the Estevan area in the south-east of the province. The aim was to begin detailed site analysis for final site selection in 2025 although a final decision on approving an SMR, is not expected before 2029. SMR technology has been under consideration since the publication of a provincial roadmap in 2019. In June 2022, SaskPower selected GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy’s BWRX-300 SMR for potential deployment of the first unit by 2034, with another to potentially follow shortly after at the same facility.
