Ontario Launches Advisory Panel to Help Double Medical Nuclear Isotope Production by 2030

July 30, 2025

New nuclear isotope innovation council will boost Ontario’s nuclear advantage to support cancer care, create jobs and stay competitive in the global economy

NORTH YORK – Today, the Ontario government announced it has launched the Nuclear Isotope Innovation Council of Ontario (NIICO), a new expert advisory panel that will help leverage Ontario’s world-class nuclear fleet to double the number of medical isotopes produced in the province over the next four years. As part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario, the integrated energy plan lays the groundwork to expand the province’s nuclear advantage as an essential part of the province’s life sciences strategy to drive innovations in health care, create good-paying jobs and strengthen supply chains to stay resilient in an increasingly competitive global market.

“More than 247,000 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer this year, a devastating reality that hits home as my late-mother and father have been afflicted by this disease,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines. “One of the most consequential tools doctors have available to diagnose and treat this disease will come from Ontario’s nuclear generating stations: life-saving medical isotopes. By doubling production by 2030, Ontario’s biomanufacturing economy will emerge as the global leader harnessing the power of nuclear innovation to save lives.”

Comprised of leading experts from across the medical, nuclear, and research sectors, NIICO will work with the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council (CNIC), health care providers, hospitals and industry partners to guide and provide recommendations on how to double the amount of isotopes Ontario produces by 2030. Their focus will be on identifying new opportunities to expand isotope production to meet the growing demand for precision cancer therapies, strengthen supply chains and cement Ontario’s global competitiveness. The council will report back with initial findings by September 2025.

“Ontario’s world-class nuclear sector is not only producing clean energy — it’s helping save lives here at home and around the world,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health. “Through the new Nuclear Isotope Innovation Council of Ontario, we’re strengthening our global leadership in the production of life-saving medical isotopes, supporting advanced cancer care and protecting Ontario’s communities by ensuring patients have access to cutting-edge treatments when they need them. This is how we build a stronger, healthier Ontario and drive innovation that benefits people across the globe.”

With more than 247,000 Canadians diagnosed with cancer each year, and two of every five Canadians developing cancer during their lifetime, the demand for precision radiopharmaceuticals is increasing, and so is the need for large-scale production of key isotopes. Ontario’s nuclear reactors already produce approximately 50 per cent of the world’s isotopes that are used to treat head, neck and cervical cancers and sterilize medical equipment. The province is also a global leader in producing isotopes that are used in targeted prostate and neuroendocrine cancer therapy, as well as isotopes critical for diagnostic imaging of the heart, bones, lungs and kidneys.

“Through the launch of the Nuclear Isotope Innovation Council of Ontario, our government continues to build on the bold vision set out in our Life Sciences Strategy and reinforce Ontario’s leadership in radioisotope production and innovation,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “By expanding Ontario’s nuclear medicine advantage and harnessing the strength of our biomanufacturing sector, we are ensuring that cancer patients of all ages can benefit from reliable access to cutting-edge treatments and positioning our province at the heart of the competitive isotope economy.”

Supporting Ontario’s isotope industry delivers on the government’s promise made in Energy for Generations, as well as its life sciences strategy, Taking Sciences to the Next Level. The plan features the importance of exporting Ontario’s nuclear expertise, supply chain and skilled workforce to help position the province as a global superpower by supplying life-saving materials to health care systems worldwide.

Quick Facts

Medical isotopes are currently produced in all three nuclear generating stations in Ontario – at Bruce, Pickering and Darlington nuclear stations – as well as in the nuclear research reactor at McMaster University.
The production, processing and distribution of medical isotopes currently supports 8,500 jobs in Canada and includes Ontario’s power and research reactors, as well as a network of specialized nuclear supply chain companies and healthcare entities, most of which are located in Ontario.
With major refurbishments underway at the Darlington, Bruce and potentially Pickering nuclear generating stations – and the first of its kind small modular reactor being built at Darlington – Ontario is uniquely positioned to grow its share of the fast-expanding isotope market that is projected to support thousands of jobs and save millions of lives globally.
Life-saving medical isotopes have continued to be one of the most consequential tools doctors have available to diagnose and treat cancer over the past century, and many of these isotopes are now coming from Ontario’s nuclear generating stations.
Every year, there are more than 40 million medical procedures performed globally using isotopes, with approximately 36 million for diagnostic nuclear medicine and four million for radiation therapy.