Below is a guest blog from our friends at AREVA who were among the 70+ sponsors and exhibitors at the 2012 CNA Conference and Trade Show in Ottawa. AREVA, like many of our member companies, is a great champion for Canada’s nuclear industry. The post below sums up our industry’s optimism with a few key highlights from this year’s presentations. Thanks for sharing, AREVA!

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Tom Mitchell - Chair, WANO Fukushima Response Commission

Executives from the nuclear energy industry expressed optimism regarding business opportunities in Canada this week at the Canadian Nuclear Association’s (CNA) annual conference in Ottawa. Despite the concerns raised following the events at Fukushima, industry leaders see strong prospects for business in Canada.

“While other jurisdictions may be scaling back their nuclear energy commitment because of Fukushima, we are not,” said Tom Mitchell, president and CEO of Ontario Power Generation (OPG), according to an article in the Ottawa Citizen. Mitchell pointed out the events of last year have presented the industry with “a great opportunity.”

“It’s once again made people aware of nuclear energy. It may have put some aspects of the industry on the spot. But it’s also put us in the spotlight,” Mitchell said.

Patrick Lamarre, Executive Vice President, SNC-Lavalin

Patrick Lamarre, executive vice president at SNC-Lavalin group, told a packed conference that “our nuclear business is something we believe in.” Lamarre added that this business could contribute to a significant portion of our bottom line,” according to a Reuters report.

Lamarre urged the Ontario government to move forward with plans to build new reactors in the province, projects he said that would be important for the Province’s economy.

AREVA remains very committed in building new nuclear plants in Canada and has proposed its technology in Ontario as well as in New Brunswick.

“As the leading supplier to the nuclear sector worldwide, AREVA has very broad experience building new reactors and providing services to the existing fleet. In addition, AREVA is one of Canada’s top uranium producers. We remain very bullish regarding opportunities in Canada across all of our business lines,” said Jean-Francois Beland, executive vice president of AREVA Canada.

(This post originally appeared here)