Montreal: June 16, 2025 – AtkinsRéalis, a world-class engineering services and nuclear company with offices around the world, welcomes Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) as a new ambassador in support of the Canadians for CANDU campaign.
Canada's Building Trades Unions are an organization representing 14 international unions in the construction, maintenance and fabrication industries that collectively represent 600,000 skilled trades workers in Canada who work in more than 60 different trades and occupations and generate six per cent of Canada's GDP.
The Canadians for CANDU campaign was launched on February 28, 2024, and is proudly supported by organized labour, supply chain, nuclear medicine, education, and Indigenous Canadian organizations. Spearheaded by Co-Chairs the Right Honourable Jean Chrétien and former Ontario Premier Mike Harris, the campaign promotes the deployment of CANDU® nuclear technology at home and abroad in support of Canadian and global efforts to reach net-zero emissions.
“I would like to thank CBTU for their leadership in Canada’s world class nuclear sector, and their support for CANDU technology,” said Joe St. Julian, President, Nuclear, AtkinsRéalis. “This growing movement can position Canada as a global clean energy champion, while promoting a domestic nuclear industry that Canadians can be proud of.”
"On behalf of the Canadian Executive Board and our 600,000 members, Canada's Building Trades Unions is excited to become a 'Canadians for CANDU' ambassador," shared Sean Strickland, Executive Director of Canada's Building Trades Unions. "This partnership represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our 600,000 members to be at the forefront of forging Canada's energy independence. By championing this made-in-Canada nuclear technology, we are not only securing high-quality jobs for our skilled tradespeople but also positioning Canada as a global leader in clean, reliable energy production with CBTU's members ready to be an integral part of building our energy future."
Sign up at canadiansforcandu.com to support the movement and follow on LinkedIn.
The CANDU moment
Canada enjoys world-leading expertise in the design, construction, operations, maintenance, and overall program management of nuclear reactors, supported by a highly qualified supply chain. CANDU technology is one of Canada’s most important innovations and remains the nation’s only domestically developed and licensed nuclear technology.
CANDU technology—which uses natural uranium—renowned for its safety, efficiency, and versatility, stands as a source of pride for Canadians and remains a leading force in nuclear innovation worldwide. Six decades after it was first developed, it stands as the linchpin of a vibrant Canadian nuclear ecosystem that supports over 89,000 stable and well-remunerated jobs across a wide variety of professional and skilled trades fields, not to mention researchers at our world-class universities and research institutions.1
CANDU technology remains the only nuclear power technology that coproduces the medical isotopes that are used in cancer-fighting treatments and the sterilization of medical devices. The current CANDU fleet in Ontario produces 50% of the world’s supply of Cobalt-60, which is used for medical device sterilization.2
CANDU intellectual property is owned by the federal government. It is a national strategic asset critical to the energy transition, supporting significant economic opportunities for Canadians.
The Canadians for CANDU campaign calls on the federal and provincial governments to support the only made-in-Canada nuclear technology on the market to help the country reach net-zero and support a thriving domestic nuclear ecosystem.
The choice is clear. It’s time to choose CANDU.
About Canadians for CANDU
Canadians for CANDU includes industry leaders, members of the domestic supply-chain, academics, and citizens who believe Canadian expertise and innovation has a leading role to play in the deployment of nuclear energy solutions at home and abroad. canadiansforcandu.com
About Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU)
Canada's Building Trades Unions are an organization representing 14 international unions in the construction, maintenance and fabrication industries that collectively represent 600,000 skilled trades workers in Canada who work in more than 60 different trades and occupations and generate six per cent of Canada's GDP. Our mission is to represent all workers in the building, construction, fabrication and maintenance industry and support their efforts to improve their working conditions and quality of life. In pursuit of our goals we continuously seek to build our workforce and strengthen our industry.
We build our workforce by fostering pride, performance, and professionalism in the trades, and by supporting training that prepares our members for life-long career opportunities. We also strive to ensure that the construction industry offers the most financially satisfying and personally rewarding career path open to young Canadians.
We strengthen our industry by providing solutions that meet the challenges of our changing, energy-conscious world, and by delivering unmatched value for contractors and owners—proving that developing a partnership with Canada's Building Trades Unions is the best investment they will ever make.
For more information, go to www.buildingtrades.ca
About AtkinsRéalis
Created by the integration of long-standing organizations dating back to 1911, AtkinsRéalis is a world-class engineering services and nuclear company dedicated to engineering a better future for our planet and its people. We create sustainable solutions that connect people, data and technology to transform the world's infrastructure and energy systems. We deploy global capabilities locally to our clients and deliver unique end-to-end services across the whole life cycle of an asset including consulting, advisory & environmental services, intelligent networks & cybersecurity, design & engineering, procurement, project & construction management, operations & maintenance, decommissioning and capital. The breadth and depth of our capabilities are delivered to clients in strategic sectors such as Engineering Services, Nuclear and Capital. News and information are available at www.atkinsrealis.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
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