August 14, 2014 - The Honourable Lynne Yelich, Minister of State (Foreign Affairs and Consular), the Honourable Greg Rickford, Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, and the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, today announced the coming into force of the Canada-Kazakhstan Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.
“This agreement with Kazakhstan marks our shared commitment to expanding cooperation in the nuclear sector in a safe and secure manner, while strengthening economic ties between our two countries,” said Minister Yelich. “It is yet another example of our Government delivering on its commitment to creating the right environment for Canadian businesses to compete globally, and to bringing jobs, growth and long-term prosperity to Canadians.”
The nuclear cooperation agreement with Kazakhstan will allow Canadian companies to export nuclear items for peaceful uses, in accordance with Canada’s nuclear non-proliferation policy. It will also facilitate the exploration of joint commercial ventures, including those involving research and development and contribute to job creation in both countries.
“Today’s announcement that our respective markets are open for business is welcome news for Canadian jobs and economic growth,” said Minister Rickford. “Reaching new markets for Canadian energy and technology helps contribute to global energy security and our mutual prosperity.”
“With the signing of recent nuclear cooperation agreements with China, India, the U.A.E. [United Arab Emirates] and now Kazakhstan, our government is continuing to open new markets and provide new opportunities for the nuclear sector, a priority market under our Global Markets Action Plan to create jobs,” said Minister Fast.
With the coming into force of the Canada-Kazakhstan Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, the Government of Canada is reaffirming its commitment to supporting and growing Canada’s nuclear industry—an industry that generates well over $5-billion worth of electricity annually, accounts for approximately $1 billion a year in uranium exports and directly employs more than 30,000 Canadians.
A backgrounder follows.
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Alexandra Lemieux
Press Secretary
Office of Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources
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Media Relations
Natural Resources Canada
Ottawa
613-992-4447
Shannon Gutoskie
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Ed Fast
Minister of International Trade
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Media Relations Office
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Canada is committed to promoting greater trade and investment with Kazakhstan, which will help generate new jobs and growth in Canada’s nuclear energy industry and strengthen international nuclear security. To that end, on August 14, 2014, the Government of Canada announced the coming into force of the Canada–Kazakhstan Nuclear Cooperation Agreement.
Nuclear cooperation agreements provide international treaty-level assurances that nuclear material, equipment and technology originating in the signatory countries—in this case, Canada and Kazakhstan—will be used only for peaceful non-explosive purposes. The provisions of the agreement with Kazakhstan are implemented through administrative arrangements between the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission and its counterpart agency in Kazakhstan.
The agreement with Kazakhstan—together with the administrative arrangements to facilitate implementation—will enable Canadian firms to export and import controlled nuclear materials, equipment and technology to and from Kazakhstan under safeguards applied by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Canada’s nuclear non-proliferation policy establishes the conditions under which Canada may engage in nuclear cooperation with selected partner countries. The Government of Canada tightly regulates the export of nuclear items to ensure that such items are exported only to countries that meet Canada’s stringent nuclear non-proliferation and security requirements.
Individual exports and imports are subject to licensing under the Nuclear Safety and Control Act and the Export and Import Permits Act, which support the implementation of Canada’s international commitments on nuclear non-proliferation.
