Development of the Federal Nuclear Emergency Plan

Initiation of a Nuclear Emergency Plan

Following the 1978 crash of the nuclear-powered Soviet satellite COSMOS 954 in the Northwest Territories and the 1979 accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, the Government of Canada initiated development of a formal plan to address federal preparedness and response to a nuclear or radiological accident.

Health Canada Designated Lead Department

In 1984, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau assigned the Department of Health and Welfare (as Health Canada was then known) the lead role in developing and maintaining a national plan to deal with nuclear or radiological emergencies.

Why Health Canada has the Lead

Health Canada was established as the lead department for three reasons:

• the primary concern during a nuclear emergency will be public health and safety;
• Health Canada had, and continues to maintain, a national radiological monitoring network; and
• Health Canada does not have a role in either the promotion or regulation of the nuclear industry in Canada.

Evolution of the FNEP

In 1984, Health Canada developed the multi-departmental Federal Nuclear Emergency Response Plan (FNERP) to provide a framework for the coordination of federal preparedness and response to a nuclear emergency. Since its initial inception, the development of the Plan has been affected and altered by:

• nuclear accidents, such as the Ukraine's Chernobyl reactor accident in 1986;
• the passage of emergency preparedness legislation, such as the  Emergency Preparedness Act and the  Emergencies Act, both in 1988;
• criticism of the FNERP in the 1992 Auditor General's Report;
• a comprehensive two-year (1995-1997) review of the FNERP by federal and provincial departments and agencies; and
• regular testing through international, federal, and provincial nuclear emergency exercises.

The FNERP was renamed The Federal Nuclear Emergency Plan (FNEP) in 1996 to reflect comprehensive changes to the Plan. Since then, the FNEP continues to be exercised and revised as necessary.

The FNEP after September 11, 2001

The FNEP was conceived to coordinate the federal response to an uncontrolled release of radioactive materials from any source. Thus the events of September 11, 2001, the heightened radiological terrorist threats, and threats to the security of Canadian nuclear generating stations do not impact the emergency preparedness and response framework delineated in the FNEP.

Future of the FNEP

The Federal Nuclear Emergency Plan is a "living" document that will undergo revisions, regular updates, and any modifications necessary to reflect changes indicated

• as a result of ongoing test exercises;
• from evolving mandates of the federal organisations involved; and
• from changes in the roles or capabilities of all other levels of government and stakeholders.