Hub Staff | February 28, 2026
Bruce Power and the Saugeen Ojibway Nation (SON) have announced a $250-million expansion of their partnership aimed at boosting the production of cancer-fighting medical isotopes while delivering long-term economic benefits to the Chippewas of Saugeen and the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.
The investment, backed by a provincial guarantee through Ontario’s Indigenous Opportunities Financing Program, is described as the largest investment support for a single Indigenous nation in Canada. The program, administered by the Building Ontario Fund, helps First Nations access equity in major infrastructure projects through provincially backed financing.
As part of the expanded agreement, SON and Bruce Power have created the Gamzook’aamin aakoziwin Limited Partnership, replacing a 2019 arrangement and deepening SON’s role in the isotope business. The deal also includes a separate revenue-sharing agreement that will provide $10 million annually in direct community payments, split evenly between Saugeen First Nation and the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation.
Leaders from both First Nations called the agreement transformative, saying it will provide stable, predictable revenues for generations while strengthening their participation in a growing global market for life-saving medical treatments.
Provincial officials said the partnership supports Ontario’s plan to double medical isotope production by 2030, reinforcing the province’s position as a global leader in nuclear medicine. Bruce Power’s isotope production system, developed with Isogen, a partnership between Kinectrics and Framatome, plays a central role in the initiative.
The expanded agreement also includes the production of cobalt-60, used in both cancer treatment and the sterilization of medical equipment, something Bruce Power has long supplied to Ottawa-based Nordion, a major global provider.
Bruce Power executives described the partnership as an example of economic reconciliation in action, combining clean energy innovation with Indigenous economic participation while advancing the fight against cancer.
