Release of the Canadian Neutron Long-Range Plan for 2025 to 2035

News

Neutrons Canada welcomes the recommendations of the Canadian Neutron Long-Range Plan for 2025 to 2035 developed by the research community that relies on neutron beams.

The Plan outlines the path to maximize impacts in clean energy and the environment, safety and security, health and food security, and quantum innovation, through research using neutron beams.

“Canada is realizing a return on investment in its neutron facilities of at least three times from their contributions to the development of electric vehicles and hard drives alone,” says Dr. John Barrett, Chair of the Neutrons Canada Board of Directors. “They have also made invaluable contributions to advanced manufacturing in the aerospace and automotive sectors, as well as to the safety and reliability of nuclear power, rail, and pipelines.”

To continue realizing such impacts, the Plan details how Canada should invest to rebuild its capabilities for neutron beams, thereby enabling Canadians to tackle significant social and economic challenges.

The Plan’s top recommendation is that the Government of Canada allocate $95 million over a six-year period starting in 2025, and $25 million per year ongoing starting in 2031, to its proposed national program for infrastructure for research and development with neutron beams, to be managed by Neutrons Canada. The expected scale and complexity of Neutrons Canada will place it within Canada’s portfolio of Major Research Facilities.

“Anticipating the need for such a national neutron beam program, our Members established Neutrons Canada to govern, manage, and represent it,” says Barrett, commenting on the Plan. “We are committed to operating all aspects of the program, including both domestic facilities and international partnerships, with best practices of Major Research Facilities in order to maximize the benefits for Canada.”

The Plan represents the consensus of the neutron community and is the culmination of several years of consultations following the closure of Canada’s primary neutron source in 2018.

“This Plan was a community effort, with extensive participation from researchers nationwide, key universities and industries in Canada, and world-renowned neutron beam facilities,” says Prof. Drew Marquardt, President of the Canadian Institute for Neutron Scattering (CINS), which represents researchers who use neutron beams.

“CINS initiated the process to create the Plan and was centrally involved in the organizing committee,” says Marquart. “However, this Plan would not have been possible without the financial and human resources contributed from Neutrons Canada, McMaster University, the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, CIFAR, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.”

The Canadian Neutron Long-Range Plan for 2025 to 2035 is available in French and English on the Neutrons Canada website.

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