June 19, 2020 – Port Elgin, Ontario
Bruce Power today announced plans to run its public educational programs in collaboration with the Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII), allowing the two organizations to jointly develop original, inventive programming for students in Bruce, Grey and Huron counties.
The programming will be delivered through NII Explore, the Institute’s new platform for cultivating the youthful urge to experiment, create, discover and learn.
Bruce Power recently announced that the Bruce Power Visitors Centre, currently shuttered in response to COVID restrictions, will remain closed until March 2021 for renovations. The Centre has provided students and the general public with school programs, tours, exhibits and resources on issues ranging from nuclear energy, medical isotopes and environmental awareness.
With the Centre temporarily closed, some of those programs and more may begin to run through NII Explore.
“Bruce Power is pleased to work with NII to help ensure that we can continue to engage our community, residents and students in Bruce, Grey and Huron, and beyond, while the Visitors’ Centre remains closed for updates,” said James Scongack, EVP, Corporate Affairs and Operational Services at Bruce Power. “There are great synergies between NII’s programs and those that Bruce Power wants to deliver to its community.”
NII Explore promotes inclusive, accessible programs in science, technology, engineering and math, as well as incorporating elements of design, entrepreneurship and storytelling. It produced the highly successful NII Coding Academy, an online program, delivered by Nuclear Promise X, launched this spring to teach children the fundamentals of computer coding.
“Encouraging active inquiry in school-aged children in our region is a key part of our mandate,” said NII President Bruce Wallace. “Our partnership with Bruce Power gives NII Explore additional tools to deliver on this promise.”
Explore programs will range from online classes to hands-on workshops, experiential learning and collective projects that connect NII “explorers” to engaging, high-quality teaching and knowledge.
Covid-related restrictions mean that most programming will be temporarily delivered online, a format NII has successfully mastered while working with partners at NPX, a dynamic, Kincardine-based nuclear company.
NII will expand community educational offerings online and - once restrictions lift – add programming from its innovation space in Port Elgin, which is designed to deliver both hands-on and virtual learning.
NII Explore is targeted primarily at students and others living in or in close proximity to the Grey, Bruce and Huron regions, though its programs can also be extended to deliver innovative learning opportunities to students across Ontario and Canada.
About the Nuclear Innovation Institute
The Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII) is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides a platform to accelerate innovation and the implementation of business relevant solutions for the nuclear industry. NII’s goal is to shape a Canadian nuclear industry that embraces new thinking, new technologies and new lines of business that can drive the global shift to a low-carbon future. Learn more at nii.ca.
About Bruce Power Formed in 2001, Bruce Power is an electricity company based in Bruce County, Ontario. We are powered by our people. Our 4,200 employees are the foundation of our accomplishments and are proud of the role they play in safely delivering clean, reliable, low-cost nuclear power to families and businesses across the province. Bruce Power has worked hard to build strong roots in Ontario and is committed to protecting the environment and supporting the communities in which we live. Learn more at www.brucepower.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
For more information, contact:
Bruce Power: John Peevers – 519-361-6583 – john.peevers@brucepower.com
Nuclear Innovation Institute: Bruce Wallace – 416-520-9746 – bruce.wallace@nii.ca