THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Sunday said Secretary Cristina Roque met with Canadian engineering and nuclear technology firm AtkinsRéalis to discuss cooperation in civil nuclear energy, engineering services, and long-term project development to support the Philippines’ energy security and clean energy transition goals.
The meeting was held July 2 during President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Canada.
Roque, joined by Finance Secretary Frederick Go, met with AtkinsRéalis executives to evaluate safe, and commercially viable technologies for the country’s long-term energy mix.
AtkinsRéalis presented its Candu EC6 nuclear reactor technology as one option for the Philippines’ civil nuclear energy program, DTI said. The technology uses natural, unenriched uranium and heavy water.
Candu, or Canada Deuterium Uranium, is a pressurized heavy-water reactor invented in the late 1950s by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL).
It is a safely regulated and licensed technology that also produces nuclear isotope byproducts used in life-saving medical treatments.
AtkinsRéalis said 31 commercial Candu reactors have been built worldwide — including Canada, Argentina, China, Romania, and South Korea — with the technology also used in major refurbishment and life-extension projects.
The discussions covered cooperation across the nuclear value chain, including regulatory readiness, project development, licensing and engineering support, workforce training, and human capital development, DTI said.
“Reliable and affordable energy is essential to industrial growth. As the Philippines studies nuclear energy as part of its long-term energy mix, we welcome AtkinsRéalis’ interest in sharing its proven engineering and nuclear technology expertise with the country,” Roque said.
Go said AtkinsRéalis could contribute its global expertise as the Philippines strengthens its regulatory and institutional frameworks.
The Philippines reaffirmed its readiness to support strategic investors through investment facilitation mechanisms, including the Green Lane for Strategic Investments under Executive Order 18.
DTI, through the Board of Investments and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Toronto, will continue coordinating with relevant agencies and stakeholders on follow-through discussions.
AtkinsRéalis, headquartered in Montréal, employs more than 40,000 professionals globally.
At the meeting, the company was represented by Richard Robinson, its president for Asia, Middle East and Australia, and Savalaxs (Sara) Supa-Amornkul, director for business development.
Also present were Philippine Ambassador to Canada Victor Chan-Gonzaga and Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Toronto Trade Commissioner Mario Tani.
Marcos concluded his four-day visit to Canada with $2.5 billion in investment commitments from major Canadian companies.
Bilateral merchandise trade between the Philippines and Canada reached $2.14 billion in 2025, according to Philippine data; Canada put the figure at $3.4 billion, making the Philippines its sixth-largest merchandise export market in Asean.
Canada ranks 16th among the Philippines’ trading partners. Canada’s top exports include mineral ores, meat, cereals, wood, machinery, electronics, fertilizers, and aircraft parts, while its top imports from the Philippines include electronics, machinery, animal and vegetable oils, leather and rubber products, scientific instruments, and vegetable preparations.
