Ontario Greenlights Pickering Nuclear Generating Station Refurbishment to Create Nearly 37,000 Jobs

November 27, 2025

Beamsville – This week, Hon. Stephen Lecce, Minister of Energy and Mines, announced the Ontario government has approved a plan by Ontario Power Generation to refurbish four CANDU nuclear reactors at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. To support the government’s plan to protect Ontario workers and the province’s long-term energy security, the refurbishment will extend the facility’s operations to deliver affordable, reliable and clean power for up to thirty-eight years. This will allow Ontario to continue leveraging its nuclear advantage to create more export opportunities, support good-paying jobs and build a more competitive, resilient and self-reliant economy in the face of American tariffs.

“This historic milestone for power generation in Ontario is part of the largest nuclear expansion in North America,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.

“As Associate Minister of Energy, I applaud this critical refurbishment plan for Pickering Nuclear Generating Station, which will provide clean, reliable and affordable power across the province for generations.”

“For more than fifty years, nuclear power has been the backbone of Ontario’s energy grid, with the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station as one of the best-performing and continuously operating nuclear stations in the world,” said Minister Lecce.

“To deliver on our major jobs plan to get Canadians working, extending the life of the facility will create jobs for tens of thousands of skilled workers while we build up the Ontario supply chain and keep ninety percent of our project spend in this country. After the previous government’s attempt to shut down the facility, this refurbishment signals that we are doubling down on Canadian technology, Canadian workers and the Canadian supply chain to protect our economy from global instability.”

Pending final licensing approvals from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, Ontario Power Generation will begin the Project Execution Phase to refurbish Pickering ‘B’ units five to eight in early 2027, with completion expected by the mid-2030s. Once completed, Pickering will generate an increased capacity of up to 2,200 megawatts of electricity, equivalent to powering 2.2 million homes. This will ensure Ontario has the energy it needs to power more homes and a strong, self-reliant and resilient economy.

The project is expected to create approximately 30,500 jobs during refurbishment, while sustaining 6,700 jobs throughout the station’s operation. With a final budget of $26.8 billion, more than ninety percent of the project cost will be spent in Canada to support local businesses and deliver economic benefits across the province. Refurbishment and ongoing operation will increase Canada’s Gross Domestic Product by $41.6 billion. Ontario Power Generation will deliver the project using the same disciplined planning, oversight and partnership model that has kept the Darlington refurbishment on-time and on-budget. Ontario Power Generation has also committed to investing $100 million with Indigenous-owned companies over the life of the refurbishment project, ensuring that First Nations hosting nuclear facilities share directly in the economic benefits.

The Pickering ‘B’ refurbishment is also expected to secure a long-term supply of Cobalt-60, a life-saving medical isotope used worldwide in cancer treatments and in the sterilization of medical equipment and food products, while supporting the government’s work to double the number of medical isotopes produced in the province over the next four years.

Refurbishing Ontario’s nuclear fleet is a key pillar of Energy for Generations, the province’s first-ever integrated energy plan to ensure Ontario has the reliable, affordable power it needs to power new homes and drive economic growth.

The government’s integrated approach and record investments in energy infrastructure are also providing the certainty needed for Indigenous communities, municipalities, businesses and industry partners to invest confidently in Ontario’s future. With a clear path forward, the plan is not only meeting the demands of today, but it is protecting jobs, supporting workers and powering economic growth for generations to come.