CHALK RIVER – A review of internal operations at CNL’s Chalk River site will lead to 150 layoffs as part of a workforce adjustment

Mark Lesinski, president and CEO of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), made the announcement July 9, noting he personally notified the CNL workforce of the staffing adjustments, which will primarily affect roles in the delivery support functions at the Chalk River Laboratories.

As part of these changes, approximately 90 full-time employees at CNL will receive layoff notifications and approximately 60 term (fixed-duration) employees will not be extended, according to a release posted on CNL’s website and Facebook page Tuesday.

Lesinski said this decision was not easy and the entire executive team at CNL recognizes just how difficult this will be for everyone who is affected by this announcement.

“I want to assure you that these reductions were made with the utmost care and consideration for everyone involved, and that we value the hard work of all of our employees, past and present,” the statement read. “As these workforce adjustments are implemented, we will help our employees through this challenging period, including the delivery of personal counselling, career coaching and other support services. Furthermore, the changes that will be undertaken will at no time negatively affect safety, compliance or security and we confirm that all regulatory requirements will continue to be met or exceeded.”

He said as a result of the internal review, it was recognized that changes needed to be made to business practices. While the company already implemented a number of measures that have reduced costs, including adjustments to the way it manages travel, training and unfilled vacancies, further changes are still required.

“In order to remain competitive and operate in a financially sustainable manner, CNL must also consolidate skills and human resources to deliver its work more efficiently,” Lesinski said.

Over the past several years, CNL has been working to revitalize the Chalk River Laboratories site and modernize its operations to ensure that it maintains a position as a world-class nuclear science and technology organization. In carrying out this work, CNL has a clear responsibility to operate in the safest, most efficient and cost-effective manner possible, the release stated.

Once complete, the restructuring of the support services and other operational improvements will allow CNL to put more resources towards its core activities, including the provision of nuclear products and services on a commercial basis and the delivery of environmental remediation activities to address Atomic Energy of Canada Limited’s nuclear legacy liabilities.

“Combined with the revitalization of the Chalk River Laboratories campus, these changes will position CNL as a high-performing national nuclear laboratory that is fully prepared to compete on the world stage,” Lesinski said.