Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan (PNERP)

Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan Forward and Synopsis

The Government of Ontario is responsible for leading and directing the preparations for, the response to, and recovery from nuclear and radiological emergencies that affect Ontario. The Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan (PNERP) details how the province will respond to nuclear and radiological emergencies.

Ontario’s nuclear facilities have operated since 1962, for over 63 years, without having any incidents that have posed a risk to public safety. Nuclear Facilities have produced over 3600 TWh of electricity with a combined total of over 4.7M reactor operating hours without incident. Ontario’s nuclear generating facilities are world leaders when it comes to being the safest and cleanest form of electrical production.

The revised PNERP is based upon a new technological study that has enabled it to be flexible, agile, and applicable to all existing, planned e.g. Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), and new future nuclear reactor technologies. The revised PNERP supports the Government of Ontario’s policy of growing its nuclear power production footprint anywhere in Ontario while ensuring public safety.

Ontario has adopted a SAFE, SAFER and SAFEST approach to nuclear emergency management. The PNERP’s planning basis, has accounted for the safety record of Ontario’s nuclear industry and the substantive improvements that have been implemented including the enhanced safety systems that have been introduced in a post Fukushima environment.

The PNERP and its existing Nuclear Emergency Management Program (NEMP) is built upon the industry’s safe foundation to make Ontario SAFER.

The revised PNERP is an essential component to Ontario’s setting of the industry standard and its ability to ensure Ontario is Safe, Practiced and Prepared in a nuclear and radiological context for now and into the future.

The PNERP:

• Pursuant to section 8 of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) the Lieutenant Governor in Council shall formulate an emergency plan respecting emergencies arising in connection with nuclear facilities, and any provisions of an emergency plan of a municipality respecting such an emergency shall conform to the plan formulated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council and are subject to the approval of the Minister responsible for emergency management, and the Minister responsible for emergency management may make such alterations as he or she considers necessary for the purpose of co-ordinating the plan with the plan formulated by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
• The PNERP describes the general roles and responsibilities for the off-site response to a radiological or nuclear emergency in Ontario and includes seven Implementing Plans. (Note: the province is responsible for directing the response to all nuclear or radiological emergencies in/affecting Ontario.)
• The PNERP is operationally applied through its detailed Implementing Plans that are designed specifically for each major nuclear facility in or within the immediate vicinity of Ontario and or for all other types of radiological emergencies. 

The Scientific basis for the revised PNERP:

• A new technological study and planning basis that is applicable to existing CANDU reactors, new large nuclear reactors, and Small Modular Reactors was developed.
• It was developed in collaboration with nuclear health physicists, nuclear engineers, and reactor safety experts from Ontario Power Generation (OPG), Bruce Power (BP), Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), Emergency Management Ontario (EMO) and the Chief Nuclear Engineer from Calian Nuclear Ltd. (Note: the new technical study and planning basis have been peer reviewed and endorsed by this scientific cohort.)
• The existing 2017 PNERP’s technical study and planning basis, was revised to account for post-Fukushima enhancements to safety systems and designs of operating nuclear facilities in the province as well as incorporated into lessons learned from continuous improvements, international best practices and standards. Note: the flexibility/agility provided by the new technological study and planning basis for the revised PNERP supports an expansion of Ontario’s nuclear footprint across the province.

The Duty to Consult regarding the PNERP

The province has a Duty to Consult regarding the PNERP. Emergency Management Ontario (EMO) has engaged and consulted with all First Nation and Indigenous communities in Ontario that are close to or have traditional territories that could be affected by licensed CNSC facilities within Ontario. (Note: the implementation of the PNERP during the unlikely event of a nuclear or radiological emergency could affect First Nation or Indigenous community rights etc., thus we continue to work together on a partnership basis regarding nuclear emergency management.)

Executive Summary

How Ontario responds in the very unlikely event of a nuclear or radiological emergency in this province is the substance of this document. Ontario’s Strategic Response Plan Framework for Nuclear and Radiological Emergency Management is short titled: Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan (PNERP). With increased electricity needs and new, reduced carbon footprint technology, there is a need to meet this moment through development of this framework and nuclear implementing plans that meet or exceed all national and international public safety standards.

This plan is the guiding document for the province to prepare its ministries and employees to respond to a radiological or nuclear emergency within Ontario’s borders, and to consequences that arise due to a nuclear or radiological emergency outside of its borders. In either event, the province’s response shall protect people, the environment and infrastructure by ensuring any necessary radiation exposure is mitigated to the extent possible, which includes taking all reasonable measures to minimize the possibility of radiation exposure health effects.

The plan includes a requirement to provide appropriate information to members of the public and maintain public education on nuclear and radiological hazards. This awareness includes sources of radiation present during daily activities as well as those hazards present in the event of an emergency. During an emergency, the province will provide timely and accurate information to the public regarding protective actions necessary to prevent exposure to harmful levels of radiation and ensure that any exposure is kept as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA).

Furthermore, the province cultivates the expertise of its employees by providing necessary equipment and maintaining high standards of training. The use of appropriate equipment and a high degree of training will help to ensure strong situational awareness in an emergency thereby enabling timely decision making by emergency managers at all levels of government.

This is a scientifically based document for which a new, evidence-based technical study was conducted that has and will form the planning basis of the site-specific implementing plans for utilities and the nuclear-designated municipalities in Ontario regarding existing CANDU reactors and all new future builds/technologies including, but not limited to Small Modular Reactors (SMRS) that are being and or will be introduced anywhere within Ontario. A standardized methodology has been developed based upon the work described that is technologically neutral and agile in its application.

The results from the application of the methodology will inform the planning basis and policy decisions that are made by Emergency Management Ontario (EMO) when setting zone sizes and preparedness requirements for emergency planning zones for specific technologies/sites. The details for each technology’s site-specific emergency planning zones are outlined in the individual respective Site-Specific Implementing Plans.

The operational governance structure is based upon the Incident Management System (IMS). A Scientific Section for nuclear and radiological emergency response purposes, has been added to the IMS structure to provide expert scientific information and advice to the EMO Command Structure. Operational details are found in the Site-Specific Implementing Plans. EMO, on behalf of the province, will direct the response to all nuclear & radiological emergencies. EMO’s operational command relationship with provincial ministries, has been detailed in the PNERP. Specific details regarding all aspects of social and media related communications are detailed in separate communications plans.

Based upon the application of the PNERP’s methodology, eight designated/host municipalities have been identified. The roles and responsibilities of the eight designated/host communities are clearly specified in the PNERP and the applicable Site -Specific Implementing Plans so that they can follow EMO’s direction in preparation for, response to and recovery from a nuclear emergency that affects their municipality. The operational relationship between EMO and the licensed nuclear facilities is specified to ensure timely notification, communications and liaison is maintained, and support provided for the PNERP’s operational implementation. The Canadian federal government and identified federal departments have operational support roles as detailed in the PNERP.

First Nation and Indigenous communities have jurisdiction over their respective community’s emergency management programs including nuclear response within their communities. The strategic government to government operational relationship between Ontario as represented by EMO with the First Nation and Indigenous communities that are, or have traditional territories, in proximity to a licensed nuclear facility, has been outlined to ensure notification, mutual operational support and communications: Individual First Nation and Indigenous community’s operational details are specified in their community’s emergency plans and the applicable site-specific implementing plans.

A communications and liaison structure has been detailed for cross boarder operational coordination purposes with contiguous provinces and or states within the United States.

Finally, to ensure its ongoing operational capacity, the PNERP will be reviewed regularly and updated accordingly to ensure that it maintains its applicability in an evolving nuclear radiological environment for a safe, practiced, and prepared Ontario in a nuclear and radiological context.

Publications Management

This publication is subject to review and administrative amendments in collaboration with ministries and consultation with key interested parties. This process is the responsibility of Emergency Management Ontario. Interested parties are encouraged to review and evaluate this plan as they use it and to submit comments and suggestions where applicable.

Copies of this Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan are distributed according to the Distribution List - Annex V. Organizations that keep hard or digital copies of this document as a resource for their emergency operations are responsible for ensuring that they have the most up-to-date version of the document.

For more information on Ontario’s nuclear emergency management program please visit Ontario Emergency Preparedness: Nuclear Incident.

Please submit your comments and suggestions on the Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan or, to request it in a different format, please Contact us.

Website:

EN: Nuclear Incident

FR: Incident Nucléaire

Acronyms and Abbreviations

AAZ

Automatic Action Zone

ADM

Assistant Deputy Minister

AHJ

Authority Having Jurisdiction

ALARA

As Low As Reasonably Achievable

BDBA

Beyond Design Basis Accident

CBRNE

Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives

CCEM

Cabinet Committee on Emergency Management

CEM

Commissioner of Emergency Management

CFIA

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

CMOH

Chief Medical Officer of Health

CNSC

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

ConOps

Concept of Operations

CPZ

Contingency Planning Zone

CSA

Canadian Standards Association

DBA

Design Basis Accident

DMSC–EM

Deputy Ministers Steering Committee on Emergency Management

DO

Duty Officer

DPZ

Detailed Planning Zone

DRD

Direct Reading Dosimeters

EB

Emergency Bulletin

EDU

Ministry of Education

EIC

Emergency Information Centre

EMCPA

Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act

EMO

Emergency Management Ontario

ENERGY

Ministry of Energy and Mines

EOC

Emergency Operations Center

EPA

Environmental Protection Agency

EPZ

Emergency Planning Zone

ER

Emergency Response

ERAMG

Environmental Radiation and Assurance Monitoring Group

ERO

Emergency Response Organization

ETE

Evacuation Time Estimate

EWC

Emergency Worker Centre

FEMA

Federal Emergency Management Agency

FERP

Federal Emergency Response Plan

FNEP

Federal Nuclear Emergency Plan

GC

Generic Criteria

GOC

Government Operations Centre

HazMat

Hazardous Materials

HC

Health Canada

HPPA

Health Protection and Promotion Act

HSEM

Health System Emergency Management

IAEA

International Atomic Energy Agency

IAFNER

Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and First Nation Economic Reconciliation

IAP

Incident Action Plan

IMS

Incident Management System

IP

Implementing Plans

IPZ

Ingestion Planning Zone

ITB

Iodine Thyroid Blocking

J-EIC

Joint Emergency Information Centre

KI

Potassium Iodide

LGIC

Lieutenant Governor in Council

LO

Liaison Officer

MCCSS

Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services

MDU

Monitoring and Decontamination Units

MECP

Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

MEOC

Ministry Emergency Operations Centre

MERP

Ministry’s Emergency Response Plan

MEPR

Ministry of Emergency Preparedness and Response

MLITSD

Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development

MMAH

Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

MND

Ministry of Northern Economic Development and Growth

MNR

Ministry of Natural Resources

MOH

Ministry of Health

MTO

Ministry of Transportation

NAADS

National Alert Aggregation and Dissemination System

NEAT

Nuclear Emergency Assessment Team

NEMAC

Northern Emergency Management Assistance Compact

NEMCC

Nuclear Emergency Management Coordinating Committee

NER

Nuclear Emergency Response

NGO

Non-Government Organization

NGS

Nuclear Generating Station

NOTAM

Notice to Air Missions (AKA Notice to Airmen)

NAVWARN

Navigational Warning

NPP

Nuclear Power Plant

NRCan

Natural Resources Canada

NRSRP

Nuclear, Radiological and Scientific Response Programs

NSCA

Nuclear Safety and Control Act

OACP

Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police

OEEP

Ontario Electricity Emergency Plan

OFI

Opportunity for Improvement

OHSA

Occupational Health and Safety Act

OIL

Operational Intervention Level

OMAFA

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness

OPP

Ontario Provincial Police

ORSP

Ontario Reactor Surveillance Program

OSST

Offsite Survey Team

PAG

Protective Action Guidelines

PCEIO

Provincial Chief Emergency Information Officer

PEIP

Provincial Emergency Information Plan

PEOC

Provincial Emergency Operations Centre

PIMS

Public Information Management Section

PNEPF

Provincial Nuclear Emergency Preparedness Framework

PNERP

Provincial Nuclear Emergency Response Plan

PNROP

Provincial Nuclear Recovery Operations Plan

PNOORF

Provincial Notification of Offsite Response Form

PPE

Personal Protective Equipment

PS

Public Safety Canada

RASCAL

Radiological Assessment System for Consequence Analysis

REGDOC

Regulatory Document (a CNSC publication)

RHRP

Radiation Health Response Plan

RMO

Recovery Management Organization

SI

International System of Units

SOLGEN

Ministry of the Solicitor General

TAG

Technical Assessment Group

TBS

Treasury Board Secretariat

TLD

Thermoluminescent Dosimeter

USAR

Urban Search and Rescue

USNRC

United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission

URI

Unified RASCAL Interface

UTCC

Unified Transportation Coordination Centre

UTMP

Unified Transportation Management Plan