Canada to strengthen global leadership in medical isotope production
Aug 21, 2025
Global Korean Post
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The Government of Canada is investing in Canada’s nuclear, biomanufacturing and life sciences sectors to strengthen Canada’s position as a global leader in nuclear medicine innovation. These investments are bolstering domestic supply chains to ensure Canadians have access to vital diagnostics and therapeutic treatments.
On Aug. 19, the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada announced the next phase of an ambitious medical isotope production project at the Bruce Power nuclear plant facility in Tiverton, Ontario. This next phase will see the installation of a second isotope production system (IPS) at Bruce Power’s CANDU Unit 6 reactor, which will allow for a significant increase in the plant’s ability to produce the medical isotope lutetium-177, used in targeted cancer therapies.
The project is receiving funding through the Canadian Medical Isotope Ecosystem (CMIE), which was established in 2023 with an investment of up to $35 million over five years through the Government of Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund, with the goal of spurring the development and commercialization of medical isotopes and radiopharmaceuticals in Canada. The CMIE directs project funding that supports collaborative research and development initiatives focused on medical isotopes, with the goal of creating and commercializing innovative treatments in the health care sector while also securing the domestic production of medical isotopes.
Medical isotopes are used by medical professionals to diagnose and treat health conditions such as heart disease and cancer. Medical isotopes are produced using two overarching technologies: nuclear reactors and particle accelerators. There are currently global constraints on the supply of medical isotopes, and the CMIE will ensure that Canada remains at the forefront of nuclear medicine innovation.
