Every day, trucks, trains, planes, and ships carry thousands of different dangerous goods across Canada. These can be fuels, gases, industrial chemicals, and more. Most of the time, nothing goes wrong. But when something does, the first few minutes matter.
That’s where CANUTEC comes in.
What is CANUTEC?
CANUTEC (the Canadian Transport Emergency Centre) is a national emergency response service operated by Transport Canada. Its job is simple but vital: give immediate, expert advice during dangerous goods incidents. One call to 1-888-CAN-UTEC (1-888-226-8832) connects first responders and the public to trained scientists who know exactly how to handle dangerous goods.
What does CANUTEC do?
If a container spills, leaks, catches fire or gives off unknown fumes, CANUTEC advisors work quickly to identify the substance and explain what to do. They also give advice on which protective equipment or gear to use, how far to evacuate, how to contain the product, and how to keep people and the environment safe. They provide this critical service in real time, in English or French, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
A free service available to all Canadians
Thousands of shippers and carriers across Canada register to display the CANUTEC number on their shipping documents. That way, if something happens in transit, first responders know where to call for instant expert guidance. The service is free and available to anyone handling dangerous goods.
In emergencies, access to quick knowledge is power and can be the difference between a close call and a disaster.
Ready when it counts
In addition to assisting first responders during emergencies, CANUTEC advisors work alongside Transport Canada’s team of Remedial Measures Specialists to help ensure public safety.
These specialists are trained emergency response experts who collaborate with industry to make sure that emergency response measures are planned ahead of time and can be implemented in a timely, effective, and well-coordinated way.
A big part of how they improve readiness is through their reviews of Emergency Response Assistance Plans (ERAPs). These detailed plans to deal with spills and/or releases of certain dangerous goods during transport cover a breadth of issues. For example, making sure the right people are trained and ready, and having the necessary equipment to respond.
Learn more about how CANUTEC responds to Dangerous Goods incidents by watching this video.