Nuclear Security Regulations (SOR/2025-219)

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission makes the annexed Nuclear Security Regulations under subsection 44(1)Footnote ^a of the Nuclear Safety and Control ActFootnote ^b.

• Return to footnote ^aS.C. 2012, c. 19, s. 129(1)

• Return to footnote ^bS.C. 1997, c. 9

Ottawa, June 26, 2025

Le président de la Commission canadienne de sûreté nucléaire, Pierre Tremblay President of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission

Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of Natural Resources, under subsection 44(1)Footnote ^a of the Nuclear Safety and Control ActFootnote ^b, approves the annexed Nuclear Security Regulations made by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

Definitions

Marginal note:Definitions

1 The following definitions apply in these Regulations.

Act

Act means the Nuclear Safety and Control Act. (Loi)

business day

business day means a day that is not a Saturday or a holiday. (jour ouvrable)

Category I nuclear material

Category I nuclear material means a nuclear substance listed in column 1 of the schedule that is in the form set out in column 2 and the quantity set out in column 3. (matière nucléaire de catégorie I)

Category II nuclear material

Category II nuclear material means a nuclear substance listed in column 1 of the schedule that is in the form set out in column 2 and the quantity set out in column 4. (matière nucléaire de catégorie II)

Category III nuclear material

Category III nuclear material means a nuclear substance listed in column 1 of the schedule that is in the form set out in column 2 and the quantity set out in column 5. (matière nucléaire de catégorie III)

central alarm station operator

central alarm station operator means a person who holds an authorization referred to in subsection 57(1). (opérateur du poste central d’alarme)

critical security measure

critical security measure means any equipment, process or system the continuous operation of which is necessary to ensure that an effective intervention can be made. (mesure de sécurité essentielle)

design basis threat

design basis threat means all of the threats that are identified in respect of high-security sites by the Commission under subsection 28(1). (menace de référence)

direct visual surveillance

direct visual surveillance means direct and continuous observation of a person or place by a person who is

• (a) physically present where the person is located or at the place that is under observation; or

• (b) remotely observing that person or place. (surveillance visuelle directe)

Directive on Security Screening

Directive on Security Screening means the document entitled Directive on Security Screening, published by the Treasury Board Secretariat, as amended from time to time. (Directive sur le filtrage de sécurité)

D-value

D-value means, in respect of a nuclear substance, the D-value set out for that substance in Table 1 to section 2 of the document entitled Dangerous quantities of radioactive material (D-values), published by the International Atomic Energy Agency, as amended from time to time. (valeur D)

effective intervention

effective intervention means an intervention that is timely and powerful enough to prevent the unauthorized removal of nuclear substances from a nuclear facility and

• (a) in respect of an area within a high-security site where the results of sabotage would be to endanger the health or safety of persons, to prevent sabotage; and

• (b) in respect of an area within a high-security site where the results of sabotage would be to impact the health or safety of persons, to prevent or mitigate sabotage. (défense efficace)

enhanced security clearance

enhanced security clearance means a clearance referred to in subsection 45(1). (cote de sécurité approfondie)

explosive substance

explosive substance has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Criminal Code. (substance explosive)

facility-access security clearance

facility-access security clearance means a clearance granted by a licensee, as defined in section 83, that allows a person to enter and remain in a nuclear facility referred to in paragraph 3(c).  (cote de sécurité donnant accès à l’installation)

firearm

firearm has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Criminal Code. (arme à feu)

high-security site

high-security site means a nuclear facility at which Category I nuclear material or Category II nuclear material is produced, processed, used or stored. (site à sécurité élevée)

high-security site access clearance

high-security site access clearance means a clearance granted by a licensee, as defined in section 25, that allows a person to enter and remain in a protected area at a high-security site. (cote donnant accès au site à sécurité élevée)

inner area

inner area means an area that is within a protected area and is for the processing, production, use or storage of Category I nuclear material. (zone intérieure)

inspector

inspector means a person who is designated as an inspector under section 29 of the Act. (inspecteur)

limited access area

limited access area means a clearly demarcated area of a nuclear facility that is outside of a protected area and to which the licensee, as defined in section 25, controls access. (zone à accès limité)

nuclear security event

nuclear security event means an event that has potential or actual implications for nuclear security and that necessitates a response. (événement de sécurité nucléaire)

nuclear security measure

nuclear security measure means a physical security or cyber security measure that is intended to deter, detect, delay or respond to a threat to a nuclear facility, a nuclear substance or the confidentiality, integrity or availability of sensitive information. (mesure de sécurité nucléaire)

nuclear security officer

nuclear security officer means a person who holds an authorization referred to in subsection 55(1). (agent de sécurité nucléaire)

nuclear security support person

nuclear security support person means a person, other than a nuclear security officer or central alarm station operator, whose duties in relation to a high-security site include any of the following:

• (a) the design, installation, maintenance or repair of a nuclear security system or a nuclear security measure;

• (b) the control, maintenance or repair of firearms and related equipment;

• (c) the control, maintenance or repair of access control systems;

• (d) the assessment, denial, revocation or granting of authorizations or clearances;

• (e) the monitoring of threats that may affect the site; and

• (f) training related to any of the activities referred to in paragraphs (a) to (e). (préposé à la sécurité nucléaire)

nuclear security system

nuclear security system means an integrated set of nuclear security measures at a nuclear facility. (système de sécurité nucléaire)

off-site response force

off-site response force means a force that is not stationed at a nuclear facility and that is composed of

• (a) members of a local, regional, provincial or federal police force;

• (b) members of a Canadian Armed Forces unit;

• (c) members, other than those referred to in either paragraph (a) or (b), who

  • (i) in the case of a high-security site, are capable of making an effective intervention at the site, taking into account the design basis threat and any other threat identified in the threat and risk assessment, and

  • (ii) in the case of any other nuclear facility, are capable of making an effective intervention at the nuclear facility, taking into account the threats identified in the threat and risk assessment; or

• (d) any combination of the members referred to in paragraphs (a) to (c). (force d’intervention externe)

on-site nuclear response force

on-site nuclear response force means

• (a) a team of nuclear security officers who are permanently stationed at a high-security site; or

• (b) the members of a local, regional, provincial or federal police force or a Canadian Armed Forces unit, or any combination of those members, whose services the licensee, as defined in section 2, has retained and who are permanently stationed at a high-security site. (force d’intervention nucléaire interne)

physical barrier

physical barrier means a fence, wall or similar impediment that controls access to the area that it encloses and delays unauthorized access to that area. (barrière physique)

protected area

protected area means an area that is within a high-security site and is for the production, processing, use or storage of Category I nuclear material or Category II nuclear material. (zone protégée)

sabotage

sabotage means any deliberate act that

• (a) is directed against a nuclear facility or Category I nuclear material, Category II nuclear material or Category III nuclear material that is in use, storage or transport; and

• (b) could directly or indirectly impact the environment or the health or safety of persons as a result of exposure to radiation or the release of a nuclear substance. (sabotage)

security exercise

security exercise means a test of the elements of a contingency plan and nuclear security measures and, in the case of a security exercise referred to in subsection 101(1), a test of multiple nuclear security measures. (exercice de sécurité)

security guard

security guard  means a person who carries out duties related to the security of a nuclear facility referred to in paragraph 3(c), such as direct visual surveillance of the facility and the protection of persons and property. (garde de sécurité)

security personnel

security personnel means the nuclear security officers, nuclear security support persons and central alarm station operators of a nuclear facility and their supervisors. (personnel de sécurité)

sensitive information

sensitive information means information, including the information referred to in section 21 of the General Nuclear Safety and Control Regulations, in any form, including software, whose unauthorized disclosure, modification or destruction or to which denial of access could compromise nuclear security. (renseignements de nature délicate)

threat and risk assessment

threat and risk assessment means an assessment that

• (a) identifies sensitive information and the threats to that information;

• (b) identifies any threat that could

  • (i) compromise the security of a nuclear facility or its operations,

  • (ii) exploit vulnerabilities in a nuclear facility’s nuclear security measures, or

  • (iii) in the case of the transport of Category I nuclear material, Category II nuclear material or Category III nuclear material, compromise the security of sensitive information or the nuclear material; and

• (c) evaluates the risks posed by those threats and the adequacy and effectiveness of an existing or proposed nuclear security system or nuclear security measure that is designed to protect against those threats. (évaluation de la menace et du risque)

threat item

threat item means

• (a) an object, other than a match or pocket lighter, that is fabricated with combustible materials and that could be used to inflict burn injuries on persons or cause fire damage to property;

• (b) a component of a weapon, an explosive device or an object referred to in paragraph (a); and

• (c) any other item that could pose a threat to the security of a nuclear facility. (article dangereux)

vehicle portal

vehicle portal means a portal for the passage of land vehicles that has enclosed sides, a movable barrier at either end and is large enough to accommodate a land vehicle. (sas pour véhicule)

vital area

vital area means an area that is inside a protected area and that contains equipment, systems, structures, components or nuclear substances the sabotage of which could directly or indirectly impact the environment or the health or safety of persons as a result of exposure to radiation or the release of a nuclear substance. (zone vitale)

weapon

weapon has the same meaning as in section 2 of the Criminal Code. (arme)

PART 1General Provisions

Definition

Marginal note:Definition of licensee

2 In this Part, licensee means any of the following persons:

• (a) a person who, in relation to a high-security site, is licensed under the Act to

  • (i) carry out an activity described in any of paragraphs 26(a), (e) or (f) of the Act; or

  • (ii) produce, refine, convert, enrich, process, reprocess, manage, store or dispose of Category I nuclear material or Category II nuclear material;

• (b) a person who, in relation to a nuclear facility referred to in paragraph 3(c) of these Regulations, is licensed under the Act to

  • (i) carry out an activity described in any of paragraphs 26(a), (e) or (f) of the Act; or

  • (ii) produce, refine, convert, enrich, process, reprocess, manage, store or dispose of a nuclear substance; and

• (c) a person who, in respect of Category I nuclear material, Category II nuclear material, Category III nuclear material or a nuclear substance referred to in paragraph 3(d) of these Regulations, is licensed under the Act to

  • (i) carry out an activity described in any of paragraphs 26(a), (e) or (f) of the Act, or

  • (ii) produce, refine, convert, enrich, process, reprocess, manage, store or dispose of a nuclear substance.

Application

Marginal note:Application of Part

3 This Part applies in respect of

• (a) Category I nuclear material, Category II nuclear material and Category III nuclear material;

• (b) high-security sites;

• (c) the following nuclear facilities, other than those that are high-security sites:

  • (i) a nuclear fission or fusion reactor or subcritical nuclear assembly,

  • (ii) a plant for the processing, reprocessing or separation of an isotope of uranium, thorium or plutonium,

  • (iii) a plant for the manufacture of a product from uranium, thorium or plutonium,

  • (iv) a plant for the processing or use, in a quantity greater than 10¹⁵ Bq per calendar year, of nuclear substances other than uranium, thorium or plutonium,

  • (v) a vehicle that is equipped with a nuclear reactor, and

  • (vi) a facility for the disposal of Category I nuclear material, Category II nuclear material or Category III nuclear material that is generated at another nuclear facility; and

• (d) nuclear substances, other than Category I nuclear material, Category II nuclear material or Category III nuclear material, that are referred to in any of paragraphs (c), (e) or (f) of the definition nuclear substance in section 2 of the Act, that have an activity greater than or equal to 10 times the D-value for that substance and that is located at a nuclear facility referred to in paragraph (b) or (c) of this section.