The federal and provincial governments are joining forces to advance Canada’s clean-energy future through a major investment in small modular reactor (SMR) technology at the Darlington Nuclear Station in Bowmanville, Ontario.
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Thursday that the Canada Growth Fund will invest $2 billion to support the construction and operation of four SMRs at the Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP). The investment will make Canada the first G7 country to bring SMR technology online.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford also announced a $1 billion investment through the province’s Building Ontario Fund to help move the project forward. Ontario Power Generation (OPG) remains the majority owner and operator of the DNNP, with the federal and provincial funds acquiring minority stakes in the project.
“The Darlington New Nuclear Project will create thousands of high-paying careers and power hundreds of thousands of Ontario homes with clean energy,” said Carney. “This is a generational investment that will build lasting security, prosperity, and opportunities. We’re building big things to build Canada strong.”
Ford called the investment “a down payment on Ontario’s nuclear energy future,” adding that it will help protect Ontario by “supporting good-paying, long-term jobs for Ontario workers and building the energy infrastructure — including both SMRs and new, large-scale nuclear — needed to make Ontario an energy superpower.”
Construction on the first SMR began in May 2025, with completion expected in 2030. Once all four units are operational, the DNNP will generate 1,200 megawatts of clean, reliable power — enough to supply about 1.2 million homes.
Officials say the project will inject $500 million annually into Ontario’s nuclear supply chain, sustain 3,700 jobs during operation, and create 18,000 jobs during construction. Over the next 65 years, it is expected to contribute $38.5 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product.
“With rising instability in the global economy, now is exactly the time to be building big, creating thousands of jobs, and investing in the Canadian nuclear supply chain,” said Ontario Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce.
The federal government says the investment through the Canada Growth Fund will help drive innovation, attract private investment, and position Canada as a global leader in nuclear technology.
The Darlington project is the first of several nuclear initiatives Ontario is pursuing, including possible large-scale developments at OPG’s Wesleyville site near Port Hope and future expansion with Bruce Power.
Carney said the investment represents the kind of “nation-building projects” needed to ensure long-term energy security and economic growth.
