It’s Time for a Canadian Fusion Strategy

The vision  for the future of fusion

Fusion is a source of safe, clean, affordable energy, providing real opportunities for a resilient, low- carbon future. Canada is a global leader and supplier of fusion technologies and services, and enabling a high standard of living for Canadians.

The opportunity

Fusion energy is a transformative innovation with the potential to generate significant benefits for Canada:

• Climate action and clean energy: Fusion, in combination with fission and renewables, can ensure that Canada achieves net-zero emissions by 2050. It can provide multiple decarbonization pathways through the production of clean, secure and reliable electricity and industrial heat, and aligns with the national clean energy strategy. Fusion could help reduce cumulative emissions by up to 192 Mt CO2-eq by 2050.*
• Economic prosperity: Fusion development can drive new jobs, economic growth, IP and innovation. Building and operating domestic fusion power plants, and exporting products and services for international experiments and plants, could create over 63,000 Canadian jobs and establish supply chains by 2050. Up to CA$520 billion in cumulative economic benefits are estimated by 2100.*
• International leadership and influence: As an established world leader in fusion policy and technology development, Canada can strengthen its reputation as a trusted partner in multilateral collaborations. There is also an opportunity to reinforce its leadership in developing nuclear non-proliferation safeguards and tritium regulatory and export frameworks.

* See Fusion Energy for Canada: A Forward-Looking Vision and Call for Action for details.

Rapidly growing global market: The market pull for commercial fusion has grown rapidly in the last five years. More than 43 private fusion companies operate globally, attracting more than CA$8.2 billion in funding, with Canada‘s General Fusion one of the earliest and most successful. Early-mover advantage is critical to capturing global market share.

Recent advances in R&D: Fusion R&D is rapidly accelerating in maturity with advances in electronics, super-conducting magnets, materials, advanced lasers, AI and computing/modelling capabilities. Canadian tritium handling capabilities are driving advances in fuel management systems. The development of fusion power plants has moved beyond proving the science to solving engineering problems through to the current building of demonstration plants/prototypes (98 operating globally, 13 under construction and 33 more planned).

Need to boost global investor confidence: Canada is globally recognized as a burgeoning hub for fusion innovation, attracting business investment and collaborating with industry and research facilities and universities globally. A dedicated national program would signal government confidence in the potential of fusion, acting as a multiplier for further investment.

An opportunity for impactful investment: All G7 members are aggressively investing in dedicated national fusion programs and private industry, developing supportive policies and regulations, and/or hosting major fusion projects. Canada risks falling further behind if it does not act now. Currently, Canada provides the least government support for fusion development on a per capita basis among G7 nations.

Critical Canadian strengths: Despite the lack of funding and a national policy, Canada has continued to contribute to fusion development and collaborations. It can build on the following strengths:

• A key source of tritium to supply fuel for fusion demos and early power plants;
• World-leading expertise in tritium handling, recycling and storage — essential to the fuel cycle of fusion power plants;
• Strong nuclear industry capabilities that can be adapted for fusion development, e.g., robotics, remote handling, irradiation, materials science, reactor physics, waste management and nuclear plant operations;
• A long history of safety, with strong tritium policies and a key role in the nuclear non-proliferation treaty;
• Well-established fusion developers (e.g., General Fusion) and national labs (e.g., TRIUMF); and
• Compelling synergies between fusion and

A shared vision: In the absence of national leadership and coordination, key fusion players, led by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited and Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, have developed a preliminary fusion energy strategy and roadmap. This effort, and the collaboration of firms, public organizations, research institutions and global partners, provides a strong starting place for the government to chart Canada’s fusion journey.