Canada | Proposed Amendments to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations, impacting more than 40,000 small businesses

Transport Canada identified significant issues in its Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Program through audits in 2006 and 2011. These issues included a lack of knowledge about the regulated community involved in dangerous goods activities, insufficient information on risks associated with products and operations, and a deficiency in tools to assess risk and prioritize oversight.

The 2020 audit by the Office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development (CESD) revealed that the information in the risk-based system was outdated or incomplete. To address these concerns and enhance public safety, Transport Canada is proposing amendments to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR) as follows:

1. Requiring individuals or entities involved in the import, offering for transport, handling, or transportation of dangerous goods in Canada to register in a new database if applicable.
2. Mandating that all registered parties provide administrative details and information about the dangerous goods and operations conducted at their Canadian site.

The rationale behind these regulations is to provide Transport Canada with accurate and up-to-date information on those involved in dangerous goods transportation in Canada. More than 41,000 small businesses involved in dangerous goods activities will be affected by these Regulations.

Link to the Canada Gazette, Part II, Volume 157, Number 22: Index