President dispatches letter protesting Auditor General's depiction of Iter project

Iter Canada has sent a letter to the Auditor General of Canada (AG) protesting its depiction of the Canadian bid to host the a fusion research facility as an example of a Big Science project requiring federal funding.

In a letter addressed to AG Denis Desautels, Iter Canada seeks an apology for its misrepresentation of its proposal, which it contends "won't cost a penny in federal funding".

Iter was mentioned in the latest AG report that contained a chapter on federal investment in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory and the need for improved accountability and decision-making for Cabinet consideration of Big Science initiatives.

Although the AG report doesn't explicitly state that Iter Canada is seeking financial support from the federal government, it mentions the project is the context of "two other Big Science projects seeking funding". The other project is the Canadian Neutron Facility, which is asking for $388 million in construction and operating costs.

"The Auditor General did Iter Canada a huge disservice in implying that we're looking for $1.5 billion in federal funding," says Peter Barnard, Iter Canada's president /CEO. "I wrote a letter asking for an apology. They totally misrepresented Iter Canada and our plan."

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