Canada’s Role and International Efforts for Chornobyl Containment

Since the 1986 accident at the Chornobyl Nuclear Plant, the G-8 has played a leading role in addressing containment efforts at the Ukrainian site. Recognizing the 25^th anniversary of the disaster, G-8 Leaders at the 2010 Muskoka Summit agreed to take the necessary steps to complete the final stages of safety and stabilization projects in the area.

During the subsequent Kyiv Summit in April 2011 – which brought together participants from over 60 countries – the international community pledged $775 million in additional funding to support the completion of work at the plant.

Canada’s newest commitment of $30 million over up to four years – announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper on May 26, 2011 – brings its total contribution to the work at Chornobyl to approximately $105 million.

Work at the plant – which involves building a new permanent confinement structure, replacing the damaged sarcophagus which encloses the reactor site as well as constructing related nuclear remediation facilities – is expected to be completed by 2015.

Canadian contributions to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade’s Global Partnership Program. Financial resources for the containment projects are managed by EBRD’s Chornobyl Shelter Fund and Nuclear Safety Account.

Since 2002, the Global Partnership Program has invested $770 million in efforts to address challenges related to the proliferation of weapons and materials of mass destruction and their potential use by terrorists. This work includes efforts to secure and safely dispose of vulnerable nuclear and radiological, chemical, and biological materials.