| #Q001 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Install and maintain sampling and flow measuring facilities | wastewater | The owner of a plant shall, for each type of effluent deposited by the plant, (a) install and maintain facilities, including sampling connections and flow measuring devices, of such type as the Minister may in writing approve for sampling and analysing effluents for the purpose of enabling the Minister to determine whether the owner is complying with the limits of authorized deposits prescribed by section 5; | Applies to each type of effluent deposited by the plant. | high |
| #Q002 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Take composite sample | wastewater | The owner of a plant shall, for each type of effluent deposited by the plant, (b) take a composite sample on the regular basis prescribed by section 8; | Applies to each type of effluent deposited by the plant. | high |
| #Q003 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Analyse composite sample | wastewater | The owner of a plant shall, for each type of effluent deposited by the plant, (c) analyse the sample referred to in paragraph (b) in accordance with section 9; | Applies to each type of effluent deposited by the plant. | high |
| #Q004 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Measure effluent flow | wastewater | The owner of a plant shall, for each type of effluent deposited by the plant, (d) measure the flow in accordance with section 10; | Applies to each type of effluent deposited by the plant. | high |
| #Q005 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Determine daily deposits | wastewater | The owner of a plant shall, for each type of effluent deposited by the plant, (e) determine the actual and average daily deposits of each deleterious substance in accordance with section 11; | Applies to each type of effluent deposited by the plant. | high |
| #Q006 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Conduct acute lethality test | wastewater | The owner of a plant shall, for each type of effluent deposited by the plant, (f) conduct the acute lethality test on a composite sample from a plant referred to in Column I of Schedule II at the frequency set out opposite that plant in Column II thereof. | Applies to each type of effluent deposited by the plant. | high |
| #Q007 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Method for obtaining standard composite sample | wastewater | Subject to subsections (2) and (3), a composite sample shall be obtained by collecting effluent discharged from a plant during an operating day (a) continually during a sampling period of 24 hours at a rate in proportion to the flow rate of the effluent discharged; or (b) in such a manner that equal volumes of effluent are delivered into a receptacle at equal intervals not longer than one hour during a sampling period of 24 hours. | Applies unless the plant qualifies for exceptions under subsections (2) and (3). | high |
| #Q008 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Method for obtaining composite sample for small integrated plants | wastewater | In the case of (a) a red meat integrated plant producing less than 500 tonnes of finished product annually, or (b) a poultry integrated plant producing less than 2 500 tonnes of finished product annually, a composite sample shall be obtained by collecting effluent discharged from the plant in such a manner that a minimum of four equal volumes of effluent are delivered into a receptacle at equal intervals during a sampling period of not less than four hours during which slaughtering is performed. | Applies to red meat integrated plants <500 tonnes/year or poultry integrated plants <2,500 tonnes/year. | high |
| #Q009 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Method for obtaining composite sample for small processing plants | wastewater | In the case of a processing plant producing less than 500 tonnes of finished product annually, a composite sample shall be obtained by collecting effluent discharged from the plant in such a manner that a minimum of four equal volumes of effluent are delivered into a receptacle at equal intervals during a sampling period of not less than four hours during which processing is performed. | Applies to processing plants producing less than 500 tonnes of finished product annually. | high |
| #Q010 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Adherence to Standard Methods for sampling and preservation | wastewater | For the purposes of paragraph 6(c), procedures pertaining to sampling, preservation and storage of samples and prevention of interference relating to the test methods referred to in paragraph (1)(a), as outlined in the general sections of the publication Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 14th Edition (1975), published jointly by the American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association and the Water Pollution Control Federation, shall be adhered to. | Applies to sampling and sample storage. | high |
| #Q011 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Continuous flow measurement | wastewater | Subject to subsection (2), for the purpose of paragraph 6(d), the flow of each type of effluent deposited by a plant shall be measured and recorded continuously. | Applies to all plants unless they fall under the exemptions of subsection (2). | high |
| #Q012 | monitoring | operational | guidance | Alternative flow measurement for small plants | wastewater | In the case of (a) a red meat integrated plant producing less than 500 tonnes of finished product annually, (b) a poultry integrated plant producing less than 2 500 tonnes of finished product annually, or (c) a processing plant producing less than 500 tonnes of finished product annually, the flow of effluent may be determined by measuring the total quantity of water taken in daily by the plant or the total quantity of effluent deposited daily by the plant if the effluent is deposited as a single flow. | Applies to specifically identified low-production plants. | high |
| #Q013 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Submission of monthly equivalent report | wastewater | The owner of a plant shall, within 30 days after the end of each equivalent month, sign, date and forward to the Minister a report, in such form as the Minister may in writing approve, showing for that equivalent month (a) the actual daily deposit of deleterious substances deposited by the plant on each day that samples were taken, determined and expressed in accordance with subsection 11(1); (b) the average daily deposit of deleterious substances deposited by the plant, determined and expressed in accordance with subsection 11(2); (c) the pH of composite samples, determined in accordance with subsection 9(3); (d) the production of the plant expressed in terms of tonnes of finished product for integrated and processing plants and in terms of tonnes of raw material for rendering plants; (e) the number of operating days; (f) the total daily flow, in litres, of each type of effluent discharged on each day that samples were taken; (g) the concentration of ammonia nitrogen for each composite sample analysed in the manner prescribed by subsection 9(1); and (h) the following details of any acute lethality test conducted in accordance with subsection 9(4), namely, (i) the date and time period of the composite sample collection, (ii) details on refrigeration, transportation and storage of the sample, (iii) the date and time the test commenced, (iv) the number of dead fish observed in the test and control vessels for the exposure times outlined in the test procedure used, (v) the per cent mortality of fish exposed to the toxicity test sample and to the control water at the completion of the test, and (vi) any other information that the Minister may require. | Must be submitted within 30 days after the end of each equivalent month. | high |
| #Q014 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Submission of declaration for new and expanded plants | wastewater | The owner of a new plant shall, before he deposits any deleterious substance prescribed by section 4, and the owner of an expanded plant shall, within 30 days of becoming subject to these Regulations, sign, date and forward to the Minister a declaration, in such form as the Minister may in writing approve, (a) showing whether the plant is an integrated plant, processing plant or rendering plant; (b) showing whether the plant will process red meat or poultry or both; (c) showing the projected annual production of the plant; and (d) declaring equivalent months for the remainder of the calendar year. | Applies before a new plant deposits substances or within 30 days of a plant becoming an expanded plant. | high |
| #Q015 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Submission of annual production declaration | wastewater | The owner of a plant shall, within 30 days after the end of each calendar year, sign, date and forward to the Minister a declaration in such form as the Minister may in writing approve, showing the actual production of the plant for the previous year, in terms of tonnes of finished product for integrated and processing plants and tonnes of raw material for rendering plants and declaring equivalent months for the forthcoming year. | Submitted within 30 days after the end of each calendar year. | high |
| #Q016 | administrative | operational | guidance | Permitted variation in sampling, measurement or reporting scheme | wastewater | Where the owner of a plant establishes to the satisfaction of the Minister that for scientific and technical reasons a scheme of sampling and analysis, measurement or reporting referred to in sections 7, 9, 10 and 12 other than at the regular time interval frequencies required by section 8 is sufficient to enable the Minister to determine whether the owner is complying with the limits of authorized deposits prescribed by section 5, the Minister may, in writing, permit the owner to (a) take and analyse samples of each effluent in accordance with the scheme on a regular basis specified in the permit, (b) measure the volume of each effluent in accordance with the scheme on a regular basis specified in the permit, or (c) report to the Minister in accordance with the scheme on a regular basis specified in the permit and sections 7 to 10 and 12 do not apply to the owner if he complies with the scheme on the regular basis specified in the permit. | Permitted only upon written approval by the Minister if scientific and technical reasons are satisfied. | high |
| #Q017 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Acute lethality test procedure modifications | wastewater | The applicable portions of APHA, sections 801 and 810, shall be used as a basis for this test procedure with the following modifications: (a) rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri Richardson) shall be used as the standard test organism for the test procedure; (b) only healthy, standardized stocks of properly acclimated rainbow trout shall be used; (c) for each acute lethality test, at least 10 fish shall be exposed to a representative portion of the composite sample for a period of 96 hours and an equal number of fish shall be exposed for the same period under identical conditions to water used for holding fish stocks (control fish); (d) this test is invalid if greater than 10 per cent of the control fish die; (e) for each gram of fish there shall be at least 1.5 litres of fresh test sample per 96-hour test; (f) the minimum water depth in any test vessel shall be 10 cm; (g) the test sample shall be aerated or oxygenated with only that amount of air or oxygen required to maintain a minimum dissolved oxygen level of 8 mg/l and aeration or oxygenation shall be minimized to reduce the stripping of volatile compounds or the oxidation of acutely lethal components in the test sample. A maximum of two hours aeration of the test sample is allowed prior to the commencement of the test; (h) in any test, individual fish shall weigh between 0.5 and 10 grams and the weight of the largest fish shall not be more than twice the smallest; (i) the test shall be conducted at 15° ± 1° Celsius; (j) the number of dead fish in the treatment and control vessels shall be recorded at 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 4, 8, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours; (k) there shall be no direct adjustment of the pH or other chemical characteristics of the test sample; (l) when transportation or storage of a composite sample is necessary, special precautions shall be used to minimize degradation as follows: (i) the sample shall be kept in sealed containers which are completely filled to the exclusion of all air, (ii) if it is necessary for the sample to be stored more than 60 hours between collection and testing, the sample shall be brought to a temperature range of 1° to 6 °C as soon as possible after collection and maintained at this temperature range until just prior to being tested, and (iii) acute lethality testing shall commence as soon as possible but in no case shall it commence later than four days after sampling. | Applies when conducting acute lethality tests. | high |
| #Q018 | design | operational | mandatory | Describe environmental control measures | wastewater, aquatic life | The applicant or licensee shall: describe the control measures that will be taken for the protection of the environment, including the pollution control and abatement technologies and techniques | Applicable to all facilities and activities during the license application stage. | high |
| #Q019 | design | treatment | mandatory | Demonstrate ALARA and BATEA implementation | wastewater, aquatic life | The applicant or licensee shall: demonstrate that the principles of ALARA and BATEA have been incorporated (based on the approved design; see section 4) to: minimize controlled releases and prevent uncontrolled releases of nuclear and hazardous substances to the environment; mitigate physical effects such as impingement and entrainment of biota; reduce exposures of radiation | Applicable to all facilities and activities to minimize environmental impact. | high |
| #Q020 | prohibition | health | mandatory | Prohibition of acutely lethal releases | wastewater, aquatic life | The applicant or licensee shall: ensure that releases are not acutely lethal. | Mandatory for all environmental releases. | high |
| #Q021 | design | treatment | mandatory | Conduct BATEA assessment | wastewater, aquatic life | As part of the licence application for a new facility or activity, or for an existing facility or activity that is undergoing a major modification, the applicant or licensee shall: conduct a BATEA assessment to determine the maximum predicted design release characteristics | New facilities or major modifications that potentially change the nature of releases. | high |
| #Q022 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Notify Commission of unmanaged risks | wastewater, other | Upon completion of the ERA, notify the Commission if a previously unmanaged risk is identified in the ERA, and adaptive management is required to restore the effectiveness of the environmental protection program | Triggered when site-specific ERA identifies risks resulting from new science, legislation, or increased magnitude of known risks. | high |
| #Q023 | design | operational | mandatory | Establish licensed release limits | wastewater, aquatic life | The applicant or licensee shall submit to the CNSC: the locations of the proposed controlled release points; for radioactive nuclear substances, either the proposed release limit(s) associated with each proposed controlled release point for each contaminant, or the proposed release limit(s) for the facility and/or activity for each contaminant; for hazardous substances, the proposed release limit(s) associated with each proposed controlled release point for each contaminant and/or physical stressor; the methodology used to establish the proposed release limit(s) | Required for all licensed release authorizations. | high |
| #Q024 | corrective_action | operational | mandatory | Respond to licensed release limit exceedance | wastewater, aquatic life | When a licensee becomes aware that a licensed release limit has been exceeded, the licensee shall: limit, to the extent possible, the effect and magnitude of the exceedance; conduct an investigation to establish the cause and determine the magnitude of the exceedance; assess the potential effects on human health and the environment; identify and take action to restore the effectiveness of the environmental protection program and/or control measure(s) implemented, and prevent recurrence | Triggered immediately upon awareness of a limit exceedance. | high |
| #Q025 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Set operational action levels | wastewater, aquatic life | The applicant or licensee shall develop and set appropriate action levels, as control measures, on the operational parameters of the nuclear facility or activity. | Operational monitoring to indicate potential loss of control. | high |
| #Q026 | design | treatment | mandatory | Submit treatment system commissioning plan | wastewater | For any facility or activity that has a new treatment system to be commissioned, or a major modification to an existing treatment system, the licensee shall submit a commissioning plan to the CNSC. | Applies to new systems or major modifications before commencing releases. | high |
| #Q027 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Summation rule for multiple radioisotope releases | wastewater | When more than 1 radionuclide is released via 1 mode of release (that is, releases to municipal landfills, releases to the atmosphere or releases to the municipal sewer system), for each mode of release, the following condition applies: [Sum of (Qi,k / CCLi,k) <= 1] | Applicable when multiple radionuclides are present in a single release pathway. | high |
| #Q028 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | License Application Information Requirements | drinking water, wastewater, aquatic life | As part of an application for a licence to construct, operate or decommission a nuclear facility, applicants and licensees are required to assess the effects on the environment and the health and safety of persons, and identify prevention or mitigation measures. In addition, the application must identify the: proposed location(s) of releases; proposed maximum quantities and concentrations; anticipated volume and flow rate of releases of nuclear and hazardous substances into the environment; proposed measures to control releases of nuclear substances and hazardous substances into the environment | Applicable during license application for construction, operation, or decommissioning. | high |
| #Q029 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Routine Monitoring and Assessment | drinking water, wastewater, aquatic life | For an existing facility or activity under normal operation, and in line with its environmental protection program, the licensee shall: conduct routine effluent and/or emission and environmental monitoring as described in the licensee’s approved environmental protection program; assess effluent and/or emission monitoring results against the licensed release limits and action levels; assess the environmental monitoring results against: the predictions in the ERA; any new or changes in legislation | Applicable to existing facilities under normal operation. | high |
| #Q030 | design | treatment | mandatory | BATEA Assessment Required Elements | wastewater, aquatic life | A BATEA assessment shall contain the following elements: characterization of pollutant source or sources; identification of contaminants and physical stressors that will require control; establishment of environmental release targets; analysis of options for technology and techniques; identification of the maximum predicted design release characteristics; analysis of benefits; selection of best BATEA option | Mandatory content for any required BATEA assessment. | high |
| #Q031 | corrective_action | operational | mandatory | Response to Action Level Exceedances | drinking water, wastewater, aquatic life | When an action level is exceeded, the licensee shall: notify and report to the Commission as specified in the licence or licence conditions handbook; conduct an investigation to identify the basis for exceeding the action level; where necessary, take action to restore the effectiveness of the program or control measures that have been implemented | Triggered by any action level exceedance. | high |
| #Q032 | reporting | treatment | mandatory | Commissioning Report Submission | wastewater | After the treatment system is commissioned, the licensee shall submit a commissioning report that: includes an assessment of the operating performance of the treatment system against the licensed release limits and MPDRCs to ensure the operating performance is within the licensed release limits; confirms whether the proposed action levels remain appropriate | Submitted following the completion of treatment system commissioning. | high |
| #Q033 | corrective_action | operational | mandatory | Adaptive Management Plan Requirements | other | When a requirement for adaptive management is identified, the licensee shall: notify the Commission; develop, document, and implement an adaptive management plan to: reduce releases of the identified contaminants and physical stressors to the environment; mitigate any potential effects on the environment; provide periodic updates as needed to reflect the current operation | Triggered by unreasonable risk identified through ERA or changes in regulatory status. | high |
| #Q034 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Submit BATEA assessment results | wastewater, aquatic life | The applicant or licensee shall document the BATEA assessment and results and shall submit them to the CNSC | Applicable to new facilities or existing facilities undergoing major modifications. | high |
| #Q035 | operational | treatment | mandatory | Compliance with existing legislative release limits | wastewater, aquatic life | The site-specific proposed release limit(s): shall be at or below any applicable release limits found in existing legislation | Applicable when establishing proposed release limits. | high |
| #Q036 | reporting | health | mandatory | Demonstrate public dose compliance | drinking water, other | For all nuclear substances released from the facility or activity, the applicant or licensee shall demonstrate that, based on the proposed release limit(s), the maximum predicted annual total effective dose to a member of the public is less than the regulatory public dose limit. | Applicable to all facilities releasing nuclear substances. | high |
| #Q037 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Submit action level development documentation | wastewater, aquatic life | The applicant or licensee shall: document the development of the action levels in accordance with CSA N288.8... submit this documentation and the proposed action levels to the CNSC | Mandatory part of the licensing basis. | high |
| #Q038 | corrective_action | treatment | mandatory | Action for unmet licensed release limits during commissioning | wastewater | If the licensee determines that the treatment system performance is unable to meet a specific licensed release limit, the licensee shall: establish a revised release limit based on achievable technology; reassess the ERA to determine whether the predictions of the ERA remain valid | Triggered when commissioning performance assessments show limits cannot be met. | high |
| #Q039 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Periodic updates during adaptive management interim period | other | During this interim period, at a frequency specified by the CNSC, the periodic updates shall include: a summary of the technology and techniques being applied... for each contaminant and physical stressor: an assessment of the historic and current effluent and/or emission performance data; an assessment of the predicted future trends... an update summarizing the potential and residual risks... the status of implementation of the long-term adaptive management plan | Required from the trigger of adaptive management until completion of new control measures. | high |
| #Q040 | design | operational | mandatory | Incorporate ALARA and BATEA to mitigate biota effects | aquatic life, other | demonstrate that the principles of ALARA and BATEA have been incorporated (based on the approved design; see section 4) to: minimize controlled releases and prevent uncontrolled releases of nuclear and hazardous substances to the environment; mitigate physical effects such as impingement and entrainment of biota; reduce exposures of radiation | Mandatory for all facilities and activities to protect the environment and health. | high |
| #Q041 | design | treatment | mandatory | Establish commissioning plan for treatment systems | wastewater | As part of the licence application for a new facility or activity, or for an existing facility or activity that is undergoing a major modification, the applicant or licensee shall: establish a commissioning plan and implement commissioning of the treatment system and control measures (see section 7) | Required for new facilities or major modifications to existing ones. | high |
| #Q042 | operational | treatment | mandatory | Implement commissioning in accordance with approved plan | wastewater | The licensee shall commission the treatment system and control measures in accordance with the approved commissioning plan. | Applies after the commissioning plan is approved. | high |
| #Q043 | administrative | operational | mandatory | Revise licensed release limits for major modifications | wastewater | Licensed release limits shall be revised in response to: a major modification of the operations of the facility, leading to a change in the licensing basis; new or updated governmental requirements (for example, federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal requirements) | Triggered by changes in operations or legislation. | high |
| #Q044 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Notification of unmet release limits during commissioning | wastewater | If the licensee discovers that a specific licensed release limit on releases to the environment cannot be met, the licensee shall: notify the Commission; determine the nature of the unexpected performance or behaviour; assess if the licensed release limit can be met through further optimization, or through application of additional mitigation measures or techniques to bring releases to levels below the licensed release limit | Triggered if treatment system performance fails to meet established limits during commissioning. | high |
| #Q045 | corrective_action | operational | mandatory | Establish and implement interim pollution prevention plan | other | Where adaptive management is required, the licensee shall: implement an interim pollution prevention plan, as applicable (see section 8) | Required during the period from the trigger of adaptive management until long-term solutions are commissioned. | high |
| #Q046 | design | operational | mandatory | Demonstrate reasonable precautions | drinking water, wastewater, aquatic life, other | The applicant or licensee shall: ... demonstrate that reasonable precautions have been taken: to prevent or mitigate physical disturbances and releases of nuclear or hazardous substances; to prevent or minimize any effects associated with those disturbances and releases | Applicable to all facilities and activities to protect the environment and health. | high |
| #Q047 | monitoring | health | mandatory | Annual dose demonstration | drinking water, wastewater, other | If a licensed release limit is not required, the licensee or applicant: is still required to demonstrate annually (through monitoring or modelling) that the total effective annual dose does not exceed the regulatory public dose limit of 1 mSv, and that licensed release limits continue to not be required by confirming the dose remains below 0.01 mSv and any applicable CNSC prescribed dose constraint | Applies if a licensed release limit is deemed not required based on low public dose. | high |
| #Q048 | monitoring | operational | mandatory | Action levels on other environmental controls | wastewater, aquatic life | The applicant or licensee shall establish and implement action levels on other environmental controls that are necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the environmental protection program and control measures. | Applies to controls like flow and hydraulic head. | high |
| #Q049 | design | treatment | mandatory | BATEA for adaptive management | wastewater, aquatic life | Where adaptive management is required, the licensee shall: ... conduct a BATEA assessment to determine the maximum predicted design release(s) characteristics (MPDRCs) and update proposed release limits to be used in the new or revised ERA | Triggered when adaptive management is required for an existing facility. | high |
| #Q050 | administrative | reporting | mandatory | Jurisdictional authorization | other | Authorization to release must be received from all applicable jurisdictions prior to any releases | Mandatory for all releases under normal operation. | high |
| #Q051 | reporting | reporting | mandatory | Submit action level changes | other | The licensee shall submit any changes to the action levels and to the supporting documentation to the CNSC. | Required when action levels are revised to reflect operating conditions. | high |
| #Q052 | monitoring | treatment | mandatory | Commissioning verification | wastewater | All new treatment systems must be commissioned to verify: whether the system has been constructed and will operate in accordance with the design basis before commencing releases to the environment; that the system is not exceeding the maximum predicted design release(s) characteristics (MPDRCs); that the previously established action levels and licensed release limits are appropriate | Applies to all new treatment systems or major modifications. | high |
| #Q053 | treatment | operational | mandatory | Maintain effluent pH within prescribed range | wastewater | the pH of each composite sample of effluent, determined in accordance with subsection 9(3), is between 6.0 and 9.0. | Required condition for the authorized deposit of deleterious substances under section 5. | high |