Toronto, ON – October 28, 2026 – For decades, Canadian isotope expertise has reached communities around the world, driven predominantly by leadership in medical applications to support cancer care and health research. With isotopes supporting industries representing over $770 billion of Canada’s GDP, the opportunity for Canada extends well beyond medical applications. Today, Canada’s historic expertise is poised to reach new heights.
The Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council (CNIC) is proud to welcome the Canadian Centre for Space Isotopes as its newest Executive Member, bringing the emerging field of space isotopes directly to Canada’s isotope community.
Hosted at the Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII) in Bruce County, the Canadian Centre for Space Isotopes is exploring how Canada’s nuclear capabilities and isotope sector could contribute to the future of space exploration. The Centre was established as the leading voice behind Canada’s emerging space isotope sector.
The Centre brings together a panel of experts from the nuclear sector, space industry, and research community around an emerging opportunity that will build on Canada’s historic leadership in isotope innovation. Its Steering Committee is co-chaired by Jessica Linthorne, President and CEO of NII, James Scongack, Chair of the CNIC and Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President at Bruce Power, John D’Angelo, President of Kinectrics, and John MacQuarrie, President, Commercial Operations at BWXT.
The Centre’s expert panel features members from organizations including Bruce Power, BWXT, Kinectrics, Nuclear Promise X, Promation, the Northern Ontario School of Medicine University and The Pearson Centre, with Ontario’s former Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, John Yakabuski, also serving on the panel.
While Canadian isotopes have supported healthcare, research, and industry for generations, the new Centre is now examining how that same depth of sector knowledge could help support missions to the Moon, Mars, and into deep space.
At the heart of this opportunity is Plutonium-238 (Pu-238), an isotope used in radioisotope power systems for spacecraft travelling where sunlight is no longer a practical source of energy. These systems have powered some of humanity’s most ambitious missions, including the Voyager probes and multiple Mars rovers. With its established nuclear infrastructure and isotope expertise, paired with its world-class space program, Canada has a strong foundation to realize the full potential of a domestic space isotope sector.
“Canadian isotope leadership has never stood still. Canada has spent decades building nuclear expertise and isotope capabilities that are recognized around the world, and we continue to find new ways to put those strengths to work,” said Melody Greaves, Executive Director and VP of Government Relations at the CNIC. “The Canadian Centre for Space Isotopes is carrying that ambition into an entirely new field, and we’re excited to have that perspective represented within the CNIC.”
“The Centre is pleased to become an Executive Member of the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council,” said Linthorne. “Canada has spent decades building a trusted isotope supply chain to save lives, and we see a real opportunity to extend that strength to help power exploration beyond Earth. Together with the CNIC’s members, we can build a national legacy that creates opportunity here at home while positioning Canada as a reliable partner in the global space ecosystem.”
As an Executive Member, the Canadian Centre for Space Isotopes brings a new chapter for isotope innovation directly into the CNIC’s leadership. It is an opportunity to build on what Canada already does exceptionally well and take that expertise somewhere entirely new.
For Canada’s isotope sector, the possibilities now reach much farther from home.
To learn more about the Canadian Centre for Space Isotopes, visit isotopesforspace.ca.
About the Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council
The Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council (CNIC) is an independent, not-for-profit advocacy and member services organization. The CNIC supports over 130 members from across science, academia, healthcare, and nuclear-sector organizations dedicated to maintaining Canada’s position as a global leader in the production of life-saving isotopes. The CNIC raises awareness and advocates for long-term policies that support health-care innovation and will save countless lives for decades to come.
To learn more about the CNIC, visit www.CanadianIsotopes.ca and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, or please contact:
Evan Cameron
Manager, Public Affairs and Communications
Canadian Nuclear Isotope Council
evan.cameron@canadianisotopes.ca