EVOLUTION OF THE CANADIAN SAFEGUARDS SUPPORT PROGRAM

Established by the government of Canada in 1976, the Canadian Safeguards Support Program (CSSP) was one of the first IAEA safeguards support programs to assist the IAEA by providing technical assistance and other resources and by developing equipment to improve the effectiveness of international safeguards. This paper describes the evolution of the CSSP, from the beginning when the program was under joint management between the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) and Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) - a Canadian crown corporation, until recently years when the AECB became responsible for all project and financial management. As of May 31, 2000 new legislation came into force and the AECB became the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC). However, the mandate and management of the CSSP under the CNSC remain unchanged. The paper also outlines various elements of the CSSP and provides a Canadian perspective on how they are implemented to achieve the overall objectives.