Saskatchewan to make federal bid for isotope facility, premier confirms
Last Updated: Wednesday, July 8, 2009 | 7:05 PM CT
CBC News
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall suggested the province could take a leading role in nuclear medicine with the production of medical isotopes. (CBC)Saskatchewan is officially making a qualified bid to produce medical isotopes, Premier Brad Wall confirmed Wednesday, as government and University of Saskatchewan officials worked to finalize a proposal that must be submitted to the federal government by July 31.
Wall repeated his position that the proposal could be short-circuited if current public consultations about uranium development determine there is no support for nuclear reactors in the province. A report on the consultations will not be ready until the fall.
"We're dealing with some circumstances as they present themselves," Wall told reporters Wednesday about the decision to submit a formal proposal on medical isotope production.
The federal government is seeking input on how to deal with a current shortage of medical isotopes, which are radioactive material used in diagnostic tests.
In May, the problem-plagued Chalk River reactor in Ontario, which had supplied one-third of the world's medical isotopes, shut down and will remain closed at least until the end of the year.
"We campaigned on the general notion that we should add some value to uranium [mined in Saskatchewan]," Wall said, defending the decision to move forward on a proposal. "But we've taken this consultation process very seriously."
University studying research reactor
Richard Florizone, a vice-president of the University of Saskatchewan, said Wednesday that the institution had been examining the feasibility of building a research reactor for the past year. Studies have suggested that the production of medical isotopes could be a value-added offshoot of a research facility.
"We're a long ways away from moving ahead with any expenditures," Wall said about the provincial proposal. "We're just seeing if we can't get the federal government's attention as a place that could possibly supply these isotopes."
Wall said he expected the cost of building a reactor would be borne by the federal government and partners from the private sector.
"We can always opt out of the process," Wall said, adding that he believed there was an opportunity for Saskatchewan to take a leading role in nuclear medicine. "I think Saskatchewan should be exploring the opportunity to be a leader, a world leader," he said.
"In 1949 … cobalt-60 treatment was tried for the first time here in Saskatchewan, where it saved a woman battling cervical cancer," Wall said. "Maybe we can lead again in terms of nuclear medicine."
