Nuclear energy is not a solution to reaching Canadas energy requirements

As an informed member of the public and citizen of Canada, I object to the premise that nuclear power is essential to reach Canada’s net zero goals for carbon emissions as we move away from fossil fuels.
1. Nuclear projects such as the proposed SMRs and MicroMRs have not been created on a commercial scale. They are new unproven technology

2. They will be extremely expensive to build as are all nuclear power projects.

3. They will take way too long to build, test etc., at least a decade which makes them come online way too late to meet energy needs.

4. Nuclear power is no less dangerous to survival on earth than fossil fuel emissions. The dangers of radiation, nuclear accident or use of nuclear weapons are huge. The risks are high.

5. Solar power is now the cheapest of renewables.

6 Renewables are sustainable as batteries, storage, geothermal and so on become cheaper and more efficient and as industry advances and components such as lithium are recycled.

7. Nuclear requires extensive mining for highly dangerous substances and is not sustainable.

In conclusion, I wish to say that the exclusions of proper impact assessment offered in the discussion paper for the nuclear industry terrifies me. The components such as uranium and plutonium are the most dangerous substances on Earth. The high risks of any nuclear power production, mining for uranium etc. are not accounted for. It seems to me that the nuclear industry has lobbied hard for these omissions for its own benefit while ignoring the danger to human and non human beings, and Earth itself. To me this proposal and the money already being poured into research by the federal and provincial governments for SMRs in New Brunswick on the shores of Fundy Bay is insane. No proper studies have ever been done on the impact of such on the land and waters and life for pms found. The money is far better used for investment in renewable, sustainable energy production even as we cap and reduce fossil fuel emissions as quickly and urgently as possible. We are in a climate emergency and nuclear energy is too risky, too expensive and will take too long to develop.

It is all too easy for nuclear energy for electrical power to be used to create highly destructive nuclear weapons.

Sincerely.