Canada-UK Nuclear Day 2026

Refreshments & networking

• H.E. Bill Blair, High Commissioner for Canada in the UK
• The Honourable Yasir Naqvi MP

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade and to the Secretary of State (International Development) – TBC

As both Canada and the UK expand their nuclear ambitions, public confidence and community support are becoming central to successful project delivery. Canada is increasingly viewed internationally as a strong example of how long-term engagement, Indigenous partnership, and transparent dialogue can contribute to broad public acceptance of nuclear energy. This keynote discussion would explore lessons from the Canadian experience and consider how they may inform current UK discussions around planning reform, regulatory modernization, and social licence for major infrastructure projects.

Discussion points:

• Building long-term public trust in nuclear projects

• The role of Indigenous partnership and economic participation in Canada

• Community engagement as a factor in project delivery and investment confidence

• Lessons for the UK as it advances planning and regulatory reform

• Public perception, transparency, and generational attitudes toward nuclear energy

Both Canada and the UK are advancing next-generation nuclear technologies, but the critical challenge now is how to deliver them at scale. This panel would focus on project delivery, construction capability, supply chains, and workforce readiness for SMRs and other advanced nuclear technologies. The discussion would move beyond reactor design to explore the broader industrial ecosystem required to successfully deploy projects internationally.

Discussion points:

• Lessons from recent nuclear construction projects including Darlington SMR, Hinkley Point C, and Sizewell C

• Replication, standardization, and reducing delivery risk

• Scaling manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain capability

• Workforce development tied to project deployment

• Opportunities for Canadian companies in engineering, digital systems, automation, robotics, valves, simulation, and specialized manufacturing

• The role of international collaboration in accelerating deployment

Speaker

Andrew Champ

GE Vernova

Panel

Canada and the UK are developing one of the most significant international partnerships emerging in the global fusion sector. Building on collaboration between organizations such as UKAEA and Kinectrics, this discussion would examine how tritium management, fuel-cycle capability, advanced materials, and industrial expertise are helping lay the foundations for future fusion deployment. The panel would also explore how capabilities developed through Canada’s CANDU ecosystem may contribute to both advanced fission and fusion technologies.

Discussion points;

• Tritium management and fuel-cycle innovation

• Canada–UK collaboration in fusion research and industrial development

• The role of CANDU expertise in future fusion and advanced nuclear systems

• Building industrial capability and supply chains for fusion deployment

• Strategic importance of fuel security and allied nuclear partnerships

• Commercial pathways from research to deployment

Refreshments & networking

As nuclear projects move from demonstration to deployment, financing models are evolving alongside technology and policy. Canada and the UK are emerging as important case studies in how governments, utilities, institutional investors, and industry can work together to reduce risk and attract long-term capital into major nuclear infrastructure. This fireside conversation would explore how financing frameworks such as the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model, public-private partnerships, and strategic institutional investment may support the next generation of nuclear deployment.

Discussion points:

• How financing approaches are evolving beyond first-of-a-kind projects

• The role of the RAB model in attracting long-term investment

• Lessons from projects such as Sizewell C and Darlington SMR

• Public-private risk sharing and investor confidence

• The role of pension funds and institutional capital in long-duration infrastructure

Speaker

Declan Burke

Centrica Energy

Panel

A major expansion of nuclear energy requires not only new projects and technologies, but a larger, more diverse, and highly skilled workforce. Canada and the UK have both made significant efforts to strengthen inclusion and leadership development across the sector, including through organizations such as Women in Nuclear UK and Women in Nuclear Canada. This panel would explore how workforce development, mentorship, educational cooperation, and more representative leadership can support innovation, improve organizational culture, and contribute to broader public confidence in nuclear energy.

Discussion points:

• Leadership development and mentorship across the nuclear sector

• Role of Women in Nuclear in UK and Canada in advancing leadership and inclusion

• Building inclusive engineering and technical workplaces

• Skills shortages, apprenticeships, and workforce mobility

• University and research collaboration between Canada and the UK

• How diversity contributes to innovation, workforce resilience, and public trust

• The importance of visible leadership and role models in attracting the next generation into nuclear careers

Speaker

Mark Rouse

Panel

Closing remarks

Drinks & networking