Transport Canada (TC) published a notice in the Canada Gazette on May 14, 2022, to inform stakeholders of the completion of the Study on the Use of Electronic Shipping Documents for the Transport of Dangerous Goods, and to share guiding principles, sources of information and next steps for the project.
The project launched in 2020 aimed to evaluate if electronic shipping (e-shipping) documents is a viable alternative to the mandated paper format for transporting dangerous goods in Canada via air, marine, rail and road.
According to TC, while challenges emerged in this trial-testing conversion of hard copy shipping documents to digital, benefits have been identified. One example is that it enables first responders to access information without approaching potentially hazardous situations, allowing faster sharing of information, improving accuracy, and significantly reducing paper and ink use. Seven companies from the rail, road and remotely piloted aircraft system sectors participated in this the pilot project, saving over 21 million sheets of paper, and facilitating their ability to search for and update shipping information.
Using electronic shipping documents instead of paper to transport dangerous goods is always possible through an equivalency certificate that can be obtained directly from TC. We encourage you to share this information with anyone who may be interested. Please submit any comments or questions to TDG Regulatory Proposal.