Quality Management at the CNSC

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) has formally committed to the establishment of a corporate-wide Quality Management Program which will be developed in accordance with the requirements and guidance in the IAEA Safety Standard GS-R-1 and accompanying safety guides. This will provide a means for the CNSC to compare and benchmark its practices and performance against its international peers and to enable measured improvement toward its vision of being one of the best nuclear regulators in the world.

Over the past five years, the CNSC has implemented initiatives which provide the foundation of excellence necessary for the implementation of a formal Quality Management Program.The Quality Management initiative will begin by building upon these existing improvement initiatives to ensure they are well-coordinated and sufficiently resourced. Improvement programs and initiatives underway at the CNSC are already in-line with the IAEA philosophy on quality management for regulatory bodies andits guiding principles.

The governance structure for the Quality Management Program includes the creation of a Quality Council which reports directly to the CEO. The position of Chief Quality Officer and the creation of a Quality Council will provide engagement by senior CNSC executives in advancing Quality Management throughout the CNSC over the coming years.

This commitment is consistent with the CNSC’s vision of regulatory excellence and with the Government of Canada’s policies on Smart Regulation.