Mediaplanet spoke with Ontario’s Minister of Energy and Mines , Stephen Lecce, about the province’s bold vision for a clean, reliable, and secure energy future. As Ontario’s electricity demand is set to soar by 75% by 2050, Minister Lecce shares how nuclear energy, through innovation, expansion, and isotope leadership is playing a pivotal role in powering growth, advancing healthcare, and cementing Ontario’s place as a global nuclear leader.
Ontario’s demand for electricity is projected to increase by 75% by 2050. How is nuclear energy being positioned within the province’s new Integrated Energy Plan, ‘Energy for Generations,’ to meet this significant growth sustainably and securely?
Over the next 25 years, electricity demand in Ontario is projected to rise by 75 percent. This is being driven by electric vehicle adoption, population growth, electrification of transit and industry, and large-scale manufacturing returning to Ontario. That’s why our government introduced Energy for Generations, Ontario’s first Integrated Energy Plan, to ensure our province has enough clean, reliable, and affordable power to meet that demand. Nuclear is at the heart of this strategy. It already supplies more than half of Ontario’s electricity and played a leading role in the phase-out of coal, one of the largest greenhouse gas reduction efforts in North America. Nuclear is reliable, clean and supported by a skilled Ontario workforce. Under Energy for Generations, we are advancing a major nuclear build-out: the first grid-scale Small Modular Reactor (SMR) in the G7 at Darlington, a potential refurbishment at Pickering, early-stage development of large-scale projects at Bruce and Wesleyville, and continued refurbishments at Darlington and Bruce. These investments are strengthening Ontario’s energy independence and securing clean power for generations to come. We’re doing this because we want to leave behind a better province for our children and grandchildren, one that is affordable, more self-reliant and built to last.
With new builds and life-extension projects underway, how is Ontario ensuring its nuclear expansion stays ahead of both rising demand and emerging innovations?
With energy demand growing rapidly across the province, Ontario is planning for the future now. Electricity demand is projected to grow by 75 percent by 2050, driven by electrification across housing, transit, industry, and population growth. That’s why our government is advancing a coordinated and ambitious nuclear expansion strategy. At the centre of this plan is the Darlington New Nuclear Project, where we are building the first grid-scale Small Modular Reactor in the G7. This single project will generate 1,200 megawatts of clean electricity, enough to power 1.2 million homes while creating 18,000 jobs during construction and sustaining 3,700 highly skilled jobs over 65 years. It will inject $500 million annually into Ontario’s economy, contribute $38.5 billion to Canada’s GDP, and ensure that 80 percent of project spending remains in the province. This is just the beginning. We are advancing early-stage planning at Bruce Power for up to 4,800 megawatts of new capacity, and at OPG’s Wesleyville site for up to 10,000 megawatts. We are also supporting the potential refurbishment of four Pickering units and have directed IESO and Bruce Power to explore life-extension options for Bruce Units 1 and 2. Ontario is delivering clean, affordable, and reliable power for families and businesses, while creating long-term jobs and global nuclear leadership.
Ontario is making headlines globally for its medical isotope production, particularly cancer-fighting isotopes. How does nuclear innovation in this area strengthen both our health care system and our leadership in the global nuclear sector?
Ontario is leading the world in the production of life-saving medical isotopes. These are essential tools in the fight against cancer and in keeping hospitals safe and sterile. And they’re made right here in Ontario as a by-product of our clean energy leadership. Bruce Power and Pickering supply around 50 percent of the world’s Cobalt-60, which is used to sterilize medical equipment and treat cancer. Bruce Power is also producing Lutetium-177 for targeted prostate cancer treatment and neuroendocrine tumours. Darlington is producing Molybdenum-99 and Helium-3, used in diagnostic scans. And by mid-2025, Ontario will begin producing Yttrium-90 at Darlington, a breakthrough isotope for liver cancer treatment. This innovation gives Ontario an edge in both health care and the global nuclear market. It supports research, fuels exports, creates high-paying jobs, and most importantly, improves outcomes for patients here at home and around the world. Through initiatives like the Nuclear Isotope Innovation Council of Ontario (NIICO), we are strengthening partnerships between government, industry and hospitals to ensure Ontario remains a global leader in isotope development to help save lives and create breakthroughs in research. Our government will continue to back Ontario’s leadership in isotope innovation to save lives across the province and continue to grow our nuclear innovation.
The province recently launched a comprehensive plan to secure Ontario’s energy future. Can you walk us through how nuclear fits into this roadmap—not just as a power source, but as a driver of economic growth, skilled jobs, and energy independence?
Nuclear is one of Ontario’s most important economic drivers. It supports over 80,000 high-paying jobs and more than 200 Ontario-based companies. These are skilled tradespeople, engineers, manufacturers and suppliers, including people working across the province to power Ontario’s future.
For example, the Darlington refurbishment alone is expected to contribute $90 billion to Ontario’s GDP and support 14,200 jobs annually. The Bruce Power refurbishment supports 22,000 jobs each year and delivers $4 billion in economic benefit. And the proposed refurbishment of Pickering could add $19.4 billion to Ontario’s economy and support 11,000 jobs annually for more than a decade with 90 percent of project spending happening within Ontario.
Under the Integrated Energy Plan, Ontario has set a clear roadmap to increase nuclear’s share of the baseload supply from about 50 percent today to 75 percent by 2050. This means adding roughly 16,000 megawatts of net-new nuclear generation. These projects also support new builds. At Darlington, we are leading the world with the G7’s first SMR, with at least 80 percent of project spending staying in Ontario. This will create 17,000 jobs during construction, sustain 2,000 more for decades, and inject over $500 million annually into our economy.
Equally important, Ontario’s refurbishments are being delivered on time and on budget, which is a rarity globally, and more than 80 percent of spending stays here at home. We are also exporting our nuclear expertise abroad, with more than $1 billion in agreements signed with Estonia, Poland, and the Czech Republic.
We’re growing our economy, supporting working families and securing a domestic, clean and stable supply of power to support our nuclear future.
As global energy markets become more volatile and climate targets more urgent, how can Ontario’s nuclear sector lead Canada—and even the world—in delivering clean, stable, and geopolitically secure energy?
Ontario has built one of the cleanest, most reliable electricity systems in the world. We are the first jurisdiction in North America to fully eliminate coal and we did it with nuclear. Today, nuclear power provides more than 50 percent of Ontario’s electricity. Hydro accounts for another 24 percent, with wind and solar adding approximately 11 percent combined. But nuclear is what anchors the system. It’s emissions-free, reliable and it is made in Ontario. It keeps costs down and supports Ontario’s energy independence. Starting in 2025, we’ll add nearly 3,000 megawatts of energy storage, the equivalent of powering three million homes, to make our system even more flexible and reliable. We are the only province in Canada delivering nuclear refurbishments ahead of schedule and on budget. That record of performance matters especially as the world looks to secure clean energy in a time of rising global instability. While countries like China are moving aggressively to build and export nuclear technology, Ontario is showing that democratic, market-based economies can lead in clean energy deployment. We are building the first grid-scale SMR in the G7, right here at Darlington. These reactors are modular, scalable and ideal for both domestic use and export to our allies. By continuing to invest in nuclear, Ontario is helping Canada get to a 99% emissions-free electricity grid, a global benchmark for clean, reliable energy. Ontario is ready to lead and helping Canada and our global partners strengthen energy security, protect our clean grid and reduce dependence on authoritarian energy regimes.
