Transport Canada Updates Marine Provisions in TDG Regulations

The Regulations Amending the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (Marine Provisions) were published in Part II of the Canada Gazette on December 13, 2017.

The marine provisions in the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDG Regulations) were last updated over 15 years ago. With this amendment, Transport Canada has updated the marine provisions, including the short-run ferry exemption in section 1.30 of the TDG Regulations.

This amendment has a number of objectives, including:

• Allow the transport of gasoline and propane in highway tanks on passenger carrying ferries operating over the most direct water route between two points not more than 5 km apart under certain conditions;
• Update the marine provisions in the TDG Regulations to reflect terminology and definitions used in the current version of the CSA 2001 and in regulations that are made under the authority of the CSA 2001, and replace the expression “home-trade voyage, Class I” with wording that reflects the intent of the term;
• Update certain marine requirements to align with those in the CFTR and the 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) and reduce duplication; and
• Eliminate discrepancies between the definitions of short-run ferry in the TDG Regulations and in the CFTR, and amend the exemption for short-run ferries in the TDG Regulations to provide clarity and specify which provisions do not apply.

You are encouraged to read the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement (RIAS) that follows the regulatory text. The RIAS provides detailed information as well as Transport Canada’s rationale for making the changes and the expected costs and benefits that will result from the proposal. It also summarizes the consultations that Transport Canada has held on the issues and how the comments received have been addressed.

These Regulations came into force on December 13, 2017.