Improving transportation of dangerous goods oversight
Transport Canada has continued to oversee improvements to the safe and secure transportation of dangerous goods (TDG). In 2023, 93 inspectors carried out 4,046 inspections and completed 4,980 enforcement actions and risk reduction measures. In comparison, 96 inspectors carried out 3,689 inspections and completed 5,039 enforcement actions in 2022.
Research projects and key research results
TC continues to conduct research to inform decision-making in the TDG Program. This includes 23 research projects being initiated with $3.6 million provided through court settlements paid in connection with the tragic 2013 Lac-Mégantic train derailment.
Key research completed by the TDG Program in 2023 included:
- validation of recommended emergency actions for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG)
- lithium battery testing to support the development of a new classification system for lithium batteries, for inclusion into the UN Model Regulations (publication in progress)
- sustainable practices in industrial explosives packaging (publication in progress)
Responding to emergencies
The Canadian Transport Emergency Centre (CANUTEC) continued operating its national advisory service. This helps emergency response personnel handle dangerous goods emergencies at all times. CANUTEC also continued to distribute the Emergency Response Guidebook 2020 to Canadian first responders. This guide is designed for incidents involving dangerous goods on highways or rail lines. It helps first responders identify hazards based on the material involved in an incident and protect themselves and the public during the first response to an incident.
In 2023, the 2024 version of the Emergency Response Guidebook was developed in collaboration with the United States, Mexico, and Argentina. The 2024 Emergency Response Guidebook is now accessible through different channels. There is the option to purchase a physical copy, or get it for free through a PDF download or the mobile app.
Responding to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Public Accounts
In November 2020, the Commissioner for the Environment and Sustainable Development released the follow up audit of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Program and the Canada Energy Regulator. The Commissioner concluded that the program has improved, but that there was still work to be done.
In response, the program committed to addressing the findings, guided by a Management Action Plan to track progress. As of December 2023, 4 out of the 5 recommendations from the audit have been completed, and the TDG program continues to work on the remaining 1.
Exercise Dynamic Response
The Transportation of Dangerous Goods Directorate developed and conducted Exercise “Dynamic Response”. This was a large-scale field exercise designed to test the Government of Canada's response to a national security event involving dangerous goods in transport.
The exercise simulated the coordinated response from several organizations, including the RCMP’s National Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosives Response Team and municipal first responders. The focus was on using resources from Transportation of Dangerous Goods' Emergency Response Assistance Plan program to help with the response. Over 100 participants from 15 organizations helped make the exercise a success and make the Government of Canada more prepared to respond to such an event.