Canada Looking to Make Transporting Dangerous Goods Safer
The Canadian government intends to make the transportation of dangerous materials safer and more secure, as Transport Minister John Baird has put forth amendments to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992.
In a public statement, Baird said, “Our government continues to take action to ensure the safety and security of Canadians whenever dangerous goods are imported, handled or transported in Canada.” Public safety minister Peter Van Loan adds the proposed amendments represent “the necessary enhancements” to keep Canadians safe.
Under the amended act, the safe transport of dangerous goods would remain a shared responsibility among federal, provincial and territorial governments and industry, but the amendments would also require security training and personnel screening; draft regulations to track dangerous goods transport; require transporters to report the theft of any dangerous goods; strengthen the Emergency Response Assistance Program, which requires that related plans be in place should a dangerous goods incident occur; and clarify the definition of an importer to clarify who is subject to the requirements of the act and its regulations.
The proposed changes would require shippers to submit an Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP) to Transport Canada before shipping dangerous substances. ERAPs would be required for the most potentially harmful substances, such as explosives, flammable substances and toxic gases, that could pose a widespread threat in the event of an incident. The plan outlines actions shippers would take in such an event, and how to assist local authorities.
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