Canada currently operates 17 of the world’s 26 CANDU reactors, which generate helium-3 as a byproduct of tritium removal from heavy water. Unlike the United States, Russia, and China, which largely derive the gas from aging nuclear weapons stockpiles, Canada’s production is non-military and steady. Chris Cassin, CEO of Zero Point Cryogenics, suggests this dominance provides Ottawa with significant leverage in future trade negotiations, especially as global demand for the isotope surges.

Quantum computing is the primary driver of this market. To reach the extreme temperatures required for quantum operations—often near 0 Kelvin—scientists rely on mixing helium-3 with helium-4 to achieve cooling depths as low as 5 millikelvin. As nations race to achieve quantum supremacy, the security of this supply chain has become a national priority. The U.S. government, recognizing its own supply constraints, has turned to space exploration to bridge the gap. NASA recently awarded Seattle-based startup Interlune a $6.9 million contract to develop technology for harvesting helium-3 from lunar regolith by 2028. Despite the vast, untapped lunar reserves estimated at 1 to 3 million tons, terrestrial supply remains the immediate pivot point for current economic and security strategy.