Canadian Nuclear Labs Breaks Ground on Chalk River Research Facility

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories broke ground in September of 2022 on the $500 million Advanced Nuclear Materials Research Centre at Chalk River Laboratories in Ontario. Featuring mass timber components, the 108,000-sf building will provide state-of-the-art research environments for the development of advanced nuclear technologies. Accommodating 240 employees, the secure structure will house flexible laboratories, administrative offices, and 12 shielded hot cells with accompanying glovebox facilities. As the cornerstone of a $1.2 billion revitalization of the Chalk River campus, the complex will support the country's climate action goals by providing services critical to the life extension and long-term reliability of existing reactors, including Canada’s fleet of CANDU® reactors and other designs deployed  around the world.

The integrated project delivery (IPD) team includes Merrick & Company, Chandos Construction, Bird Construction, M. Sullivan & Son, Eclipse Automation, JP2G Consultants, RJC Engineers, Modern Niagara, MSE, Plan Group, and Siemens. Completion is expected in 2026.