A Risk Sciences International Case Study

Pickering Nuclear Facility Re‑licensing

Pickering nuclear facility

Client: Ontario Power Generation Inc.

Listing of the client in no way affirms the client's support, sponsorship, or validation in any form of Risk Sciences International or the RSI staff member(s) who conducted this project during their stay with RSI or prior to joining the company. This case study is displayed for informative purposes only to demonstrate the capacity of RSI staff members. This case study reveals no proprietary information or information deemed sensitive.

Project description:

Pickering Nuclear Facility Re‑licensing

The client sought support to finalize a Commission Member Document (CMD) for the re‑licensing of a nuclear facility. Recognizing the complexity and sensitivity of reactor re‑licensing, they requested assistance in crafting communication materials that were both technically comprehensive and accessible to regulatory bodies and broader audiences. The work included drafting a clear and well‑structured CMD, refining content through iterative feedback, and delivering a polished final version suitable for formal submission. The deliverable focused on organizing key messages, emphasizing clarity, transparency, and effective risk communication tailored for a licensing context. Throughout the engagement, RSI prioritized alignment with the client's communication goals, ensuring the document was both informative and aligned with stakeholder expectations.

Start: 2018

End: 2018

Experts related to this case study

Greg Paoli

CEO, Principal Risk Scientist

Greg Paoli is the CEO and Principal Risk Scientist at Risk Sciences International (RSI), a firm he co-founded in 2006 following the integration of his earlier consultancy, Decisionalysis Risk Consultants, with the consulting activities of the McLaughlin Centre for Population...
Read More about Greg Paoli

Anne Wiles

Senior Analyst

Dr. Anne Wiles joined Risk Sciences International (RSI) in 2008, where she currently serves as a Senior Analyst specializing in risk communication, perception, and governance. With a distinctive blend of expertise in language, regulation, and the use of science in...
Read More about Anne Wiles

More RSI Case Studies

RSI presents a very small selection of case studies to highlight some of its key work.

International newspaper rethink

The International Herald Tribune (IHT) sought guidance at a time of profound change in the media landscape. With the World Wide Web emerging and competition intensifying from global and regional editions of established outlets such as The Economist, The Wall...
Read More about International newspaper rethink

Building an international alliance and campaign

UN-Habitat sought to establish a new global platform to bring coherence to international dialogue on sustainable urbanization. At the outset, this initiative had no name, no identity, and no governing structure, only the recognition that cities faced pressing challenges requiring...
Read More about Building an international alliance and campaign

External Peer Review of the Draft Screening Assessment Report on Selected C3-C5 Alcohols

To support the quality and defensibility of regulatory decision-making under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA), Health Canada engaged Risk Sciences International to coordinate an independent external peer review of the Draft Screening Assessment Report (DSAR) for Selected C3-C5...
Read More about External Peer Review of the Draft Screening Assessment Report on Selected C3-C5 Alcohols

Technical Support for Risk-Based Decision Making (RBDM)

To enhance the oversight of cannabis production under its regulatory mandate, the Cannabis Directorate sought expert support in developing a risk-based decision-making framework tailored to its compliance and enforcement responsibilities. The directorate aimed to better assess and respond to non-conformance...
Read More about Technical Support for Risk-Based Decision Making (RBDM)

Update of WHO Guidance on Food Defense

To support international efforts in mitigating deliberate threats to the food system, the World Health Organization commissioned an update to its earlier guidance titled Terrorist Threats to Food. The revision aimed to broaden the original scope by addressing not only...
Read More about Update of WHO Guidance on Food Defense

Risk-Based Decision-Making (RBDM) Support for Plasma Supply / Sufficiency

Facing renewed challenges in securing a reliable domestic plasma supply, Canadian Blood Services sought support to apply a Risk-Based Decision-Making (RBDM) framework. The objective was to assess the value and implications of expanding domestic plasma collection and processing capacity in...
Read More about Risk-Based Decision-Making (RBDM) Support for Plasma Supply / Sufficiency

Institutional & communications assessment

In the mid-1990s the International Organization for Migration (IOM) faced one of the most pivotal moments in its history. Though it counted 76 member states, it remained outside the United Nations system, and its work was increasingly perceived to overlap...
Read More about Institutional & communications assessment

Risk Assessment of the Impact of Lethality Standards on Salmonellosis from Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Meat and Poultry Products

To support regulatory decision-making, a comprehensive risk assessment was conducted to evaluate how varying lethality performance standards would impact the public health burden of salmonellosis associated with Ready-to-Eat (RTE) meat and poultry products. The primary objective was to quantify the...
Read More about Risk Assessment of the Impact of Lethality Standards on Salmonellosis from Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Meat and Poultry Products

Evaluation of Health Product Risk Communication Tools

To enhance the effectiveness of health product risk communications, a systematic evaluation was requested to assess the performance of key instruments used to disseminate safety and efficacy information. The aim was to support efforts under the Evaluating the Effectiveness of...
Read More about Evaluation of Health Product Risk Communication Tools

Food Inspection Scientific Analysis & Risk Modelling

In support of ongoing efforts to modernize Canada's food inspection system, a request was issued for scientific and analytical expertise to enhance two critical risk-based decision tools: the Establishment-based Risk Assessment (ERA) and Importer Risk Assessment (IRA) models. These models...
Read More about Food Inspection Scientific Analysis & Risk Modelling

Assessing the Impact of Interstudy Variation in LOAELs on Findings of Low-Dose Additivity in In Vivo Studies of Mixtures

Demonstrating the safe use of chemical mixtures remains a critical challenge in toxicological science. In recent years, studies have suggested that chemicals can exhibit dose additivity—causing a combined effect—even when each chemical individually is below its effect threshold. This project...
Read More about Assessing the Impact of Interstudy Variation in LOAELs on Findings of Low-Dose Additivity in In Vivo Studies of Mixtures

Wildfire and residential smoke risk communication

Government authorities faced recurring challenges in communicating health risks from smoke caused by both wildfires and residential burning. While these events were becoming more frequent and more severe, the public health messages often failed to resonate with affected communities or...
Read More about Wildfire and residential smoke risk communication

Age-Related Cognitive Decline: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The College of Physicians & Surgeons of Alberta (CPSA) commissioned a systematic review and meta-analysis to support evidence-informed decision-making around age-related cognitive decline among practicing physicians. The initiative was led by CPSA’s Physician Health Monitoring Program (PHMP), which sought to...
Read More about Age-Related Cognitive Decline: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Systematic Review of Artificial Sweeteners and Health Risks

A comprehensive systematic review was undertaken to assess experimental evidence regarding the potential health risks associated with artificial sweeteners, specifically focusing on cancer and pre-term delivery. The client sought a rigorous analysis of both in vivo and in vitro experimental...
Read More about Systematic Review of Artificial Sweeteners and Health Risks

Risk Model Framework for Foodborne Campylobacteriosis via Poultry Meat Pathway

To support national public health goals, RSI was tasked with developing a quantitative microbiological risk assessment (QMRA) model to estimate the human health risks associated with the consumption of chicken in New Zealand. The core objective was to quantify the...
Read More about Risk Model Framework for Foodborne Campylobacteriosis via Poultry Meat Pathway

Expansion of the Stochastic Health Canada Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment Tool

Health Canada sought to enhance its Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) tool, originally developed over 15 years ago for stakeholders responsible for drinking water systems. With advancements in probabilistic modeling and microbial risk assessment, the client required updates to reflect...
Read More about Expansion of the Stochastic Health Canada Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment Tool

Risk-Based Optimization of Enforcement Activities

A federal agency required scientific support to enhance the effectiveness of its environmental enforcement activities. This involved identifying and analyzing the risk factors—both environmental and human health-related—that contribute to the likelihood and impact of regulatory offences. The objective was to...
Read More about Risk-Based Optimization of Enforcement Activities