Structure of the AECB, and its Human and Financial Resources

The AECB consists of a President, a federally appointed Board, and staff hired by the Board. This general structure is defined by the following existing legislation:

• The AEC Act establishes a five-member Board, consisting of the President of the National Research Council of Canada and four members appointed by the federal government through the Governor-in-Council (Cabinet).

• The AEC Act further stipulates that one of these members shall be appointed by the Governor-in-Council to be the President and chief executive officer of the Board. Sub-section 5(2) states that the President “has supervision over and direction of the work of the Board, and of the officers, technical and

otherwise, employed for the purpose of carrying on the work of the Board”.

The Board functions as a regulatory and quasi-judicial decision-making body. It makes licensing decisions for major nuclear facilities and sets policy direction on health, safety, security, and environmental issues that concern the nuclear industry and the public.

The Board usually meets nine or ten times a year to deal with matters not delegated to its staff. Board meetings are held at AECB headquarters in Ottawa, or at locations convenient to the site of AECB-licensed facilities or activities.

AECB has approximately 400 employees including: • administrators • financial officers • auditors • scientists • engineers • chemists • biologists • mathematicians

• health and nuclear physicists

• accountants

• technicians

• electronic data processing experts • safeguards experts

• security experts

• information processing and management specialists • support staff

• maintenance personnel

This is in addition to other specialists in a wide variety of fields and disciplines essential to effective discharge of the Board’s responsibilities and daily operation.

See Annex 8.1 for an AECB staff organization chart.

AECB also obtains services from external sources where it requires special

expertise, mainly through the Research and Support program. The program provides access to independent advice, expertise, experience, information, and other resources via contracts placed in the private sector and with other agencies and organizations in Canada as well as in other countries. During Fiscal Year 1997/98, a total of $2.109M was spent on research and support work. A total of 117 projects were active during the year covering the areas of:

• environmental impact assessment and management; • safety-related control and electrical systems; • seismologic studies;

• pressure boundary integrity;

• integrity of containment and safety-related structures;

• human factors;

• internal dosimetry;

• health effects in human populations; • physics and fuel studies;

• probabilistic safety assessment; • emergency preparedness;

Subject to federal policies and applicable legislation, AECB employees are hired by the Board to perform assigned duties. Under the supervision of the President, they perform various tasks that are essential to the functioning of the AECB, and to the effective discharge of the Board’s responsibilities.

The tasks of AECB staff are to:

• evaluate and process applications for AECB licences; • develop and prepare licensing recommendations; • administer AECB policies and procedures; • maintain records;

• monitor, audit, and inspect nuclear facilities and activities; • draft and administer licences;

• evaluate the qualifications and performance of licensees and their staff; • prepare documents and reports;

• review reports and records;

• develop and enforce regulatory standards and requirements;

• assist the AECB in discharging its mandate to disseminate objective information regarding nuclear energy.

The job-related performance of all AECB staff is formally evaluated each year in accordance with AECB administrative policies and procedures. In return for continuing employment, AECB staff must maintain and demonstrate required skills and

satisfactory performance.

In addition to the support provided by AECB staff and external sources, the President and the Board receive specialist advice on radiological protection, nuclear safety, and medical matters from Advisory Committees. Legal advice is provided by counsel employed by the federal Department of Justice. In addition, federal policies on

regulatory fairness and public consultation, as well as provisions of nuclear legislation and the Board’s policies on appeals and representations, allow licensees and the public the right and opportunity to be heard on nuclear matters of concern.

The advisors to the President and the Board include:

• Audit and Evaluation Group: Helps management ensure that the AECB functions efficiently and effectively. The group is directly accountable to the President. It evaluates management and regulatory programs, frameworks, and activities. It also audits performances and results, and reports upon its findings and conclusions.

• Legal Services Unit: Assigned by the federal Department of Justice to provide legal support and advice to the AECB.

• Advisory Committee on Radiological Protection (ACRP): Advises the President and the Board on generic matters within their terms of reference.

• Advisory Committee on Nuclear Safety (ACNS): Assisted by support staff who is retained by the AECB.

• Group of Medical Advisors (GMA): The GMA is made up of medical professionals who have been appointed Medical Advisers to the Board under the AEC Regulations. These appointees are nominees of the provinces, Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), the Department of National Defence (DND), and Health Canada. GMA is assisted by support staff who is retained by the AECB.

The AECB is funded by Parliamentary appropriations. Its total expenditure for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1997 was $49,774,188. During this period, the AECB collected $30,072,647, or approximately 60% of its total expenditure, through fees charged for licences and permits. See Attachment 7.5 for a copy of the “Cost Recovery Fees Regulations”. The funds recovered are credited directly to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (treasury) of the federal government.