Language selection

Government of Canada / Gouvernement du Canada

Search

Transporting explosives

Whenever you are transporting explosives within Canada, you need to meet safety and security requirements of Part 9 of the Explosives Regulations and as well as Transport Canada requirements for the transportation of dangerous goods. These requirements depend on the classification and amounts of the explosives you are transporting. Classification information is provided in the list of authorized explosives.

The following guidance is for NRCan’s Explosives Regulations. For information on Transport Canada’s requirements consult Transportation of dangerous goods in Canada or the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations.

On this page

Lower-risk transport of explosives

Lower-risk transport of explosives includes transport of:

  • up to 12 kg of 1.1D black powder.
  • up to 150 kg of the following: 1.3C & 1.4C propellant powders and rocket motors; and 1.4G hand, smoke, distress flares and signals, power device cartridges, consumer fireworks, and pyrotechnic articles.
  • any quantity of 1.4S power device cartridges, road flares and smoke signals, pyrotechnic articles, ammunition and primers.

A detailed list of the types and quantities are indicated in subsection 190 (1) of the Explosives Regulations. The mass refers to net quantity (the mass of the explosive excluding the mass of any packaging or container and, in the case of an explosive article, also excluding any component that is not an explosive substance).

The carrier and driver must ensure that these explosives are transported in packaging or a container that is designed, constructed, filled, closed, secured and maintained so that under normal conditions of transport the likelihood of an ignition is minimized.

Higher-risk transport of explosives

Higher-risk transport of explosives includes transport of:

  • blasting and perforating explosives, initiation systems, military and law enforcement explosives, display fireworks and pyrotechnics.
  • over 150 kg of the following: 1.3C & 1.4C propellant powders and rocket motors; and 1.4G hand, smoke, distress flares and signals, power device cartridges, consumer fireworks, and pyrotechnic articles.

A detailed list of the types and quantities are indicated in subsection 190 (1) of the Explosives Regulations. The mass refers to net quantity (the mass of the explosive excluding the mass of any packaging or container and, in the case of an explosive article, also excluding any component that is not an explosive substance).

A carrier must ensure that the portion of the vehicle that contains the explosives (a) is either an intermodal container or is fully enclosed and fire resistant; and (b) is kept locked except when the explosives are being loaded or unloaded.

The vehicle transporting the explosives must be in sound mechanical condition and capable of safely transporting the explosives, meaning that any dangers including those related to gasoline engines, heaters and lights, refrigeration and climate control systems and hot components of the exhaust system have been addressed. The vehicle must be fuelled, the oil level and tire pressure checked, and all required servicing of the vehicle carried out before the loading of explosives begins.

In general, you do not need a permit to transport explosives. However, you need a permit under the Explosives Regulations to:

Delivering explosives

Before delivering the explosives to the carrier, the shipper must obtain confirmation from the intended recipient that the explosives will be used on the same day they are delivered and attended in person until they are used; stored in a factory magazine, licensed magazine, storage unit or dwelling in accordance with these Regulations; or shipped immediately to the next recipient. A carrier must not load explosives into a vehicle unless they have obtained confirmation from the intended recipient that they will be able to receive them at the time of delivery.

Stopping on route

The driver of a vehicle transporting explosives must not stop on route unnecessarily. If a stop is necessary (such as refueling or health breaks), the driver must stop for no longer than required under the circumstances and must park the vehicle away from any place where there is an open flame, match or any other thing that could increase the likelihood of an ignition, and, in order to ensure that the risk of harm to people and property is as low as reasonably practicable, the driver must park the vehicle away from any dwelling; any place where flammable substances, including but not limited to gasoline pumps, propane tanks or above-ground storage tanks for flammable liquid or flammable gas, are stored; and any area where people are likely to gather. There is an exception for a vehicle transporting no more than 25 kg of high explosives (type E) and no more than 100 detonators (type I) if conditions of 196 (5.1) of the Explosives Regulations are followed.

Breakdown, accident, incident

In the case of a mechanical breakdown of a vehicle transporting explosives, the driver must ensure that repairs to the vehicle are done at the location of the breakdown only if doing the repair work will not increase the likelihood of an ignition and that the work is done by a person who understands the hazards to which they could be exposed and who is competent to carry out their duties in a manner that is safe, lawful and ensures the security of the vehicle.

The driver of a vehicle that contains explosives must, as soon as the circumstances permit, (a) notify the shipper and the carrier if the vehicle is delayed for any reason, including road conditions or mechanical issues; and (b) notify the police, the shipper and the carrier if the vehicle is involved in a road accident or incident that results in

  1. the theft, attempted theft or loss of an explosive,
  2. a fire, release, anticipated release or accidental explosion,
  3. an injury or death, or
  4. any accidental property or vehicle damage.

In the event of an accident or incident referred to in (b) above, the carrier must, as soon as the circumstances permit,

  1. report the accident or incident to an inspector;
  2. ensure that any damaged explosives are transported to any location that the Minister designates;
  3. ensure that any undamaged explosives are transported to their destination or to a safe and secure location; and
  4. in the case of an accident or incident referred to in subparagraph (b)(i), (ii) or (iii), provide the Chief Inspector of Explosives with a written report on the accident or incident that sets out its likely cause and the steps that the carrier will take to prevent a recurrence of an accident or incident of that nature.

See our webpage for Reporting an incident involving explosives on how to make a report.

Towing vehicles

A carrier of explosives must not transport explosives in a towed vehicle unless:

  1. the explosives are in a semi-trailer attached to a truck tractor or in a fifth-wheel trailer;
  2. the explosives are in a trailer that is part of a road train travelling over ice roads and the Minister has determined that precautions minimizing the likelihood of an ignition have been taken;
  3. the Minister or a police officer directs that the vehicle be towed because of an emergency or a breakdown;
  4. it is for the purposes of returning the vehicle to the road and the following requirements are met:
    1. there is no evidence of theft, attempted theft or loss of an explosive,
    2. there is no evidence of a fire, spill or accidental explosion,
    3. there is no evidence of an injury or death,
    4. there is no evidence of accidental property or vehicle damage,
    5. there is no evidence of a release or anticipated release of explosives, and
    6. after the vehicle has been towed to the road, the driver conducts an inspection to verify that the vehicle continues to meet the safety and roadworthiness requirements of this Part and to confirm that the explosives remain undamaged; or
  5. the explosives are classified as UN 3375 and are in a road vehicle, as defined in section 1.4 of the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations, and no more than two drawn road vehicles are used in a road train.

The towing restrictions do not apply to the transportation of explosives at a mine site or quarry; or the transportation of fireworks with UN number UN 0333, UN 0334, UN 0335 or UN 0336 in a towed vehicle if the driver of the tow vehicle holds a fireworks operator certificate (display assistant), fireworks operator certificate (display supervisor) or fireworks operator certificate (display supervisor with endorsement) and ensures that the quantity of fireworks transported in the towed vehicle does not exceed 750 kg and precautions have been taken to minimize the sway of both vehicles.

Detonators with other explosives

When detonators are to be transported in a vehicle that contains other explosives, the shipper and the carrier must ensure that no more than 20 000 detonators will be transported with the other explosives. They must also ensure that:

  1. in the case of a vehicle that contains no more than 2 000 kg of explosives, the detonators are stowed apart from the other explosives so that an explosion of one or more detonators will not ignite any of the other explosives; and
  2. in the case of a vehicle that contains more than 2 000 kg of explosives, the detonators are stowed in a container in or compartment of the vehicle that is fully enclosed, cannot be accessed from the portion of the vehicle that contains the other explosives and will prevent the detonators from exploding during a fire for at least one hour.

For more information see G09-01: Guideline for Transporting detonators with other explosives.

Attending vehicles

The carrier and the driver of a vehicle that contains explosives must ensure that it is attended in person when it is not at a factory or satellite site. However, up to 25 kg of high explosives (type E) and up to 100 detonators (type I) may be left unattended in a vehicle if the requirements set out in 199(2) are respected:

  1. the explosives have been removed from a factory magazine or licensed magazine for a specific purpose set out in their authorization;
  2. the explosives are stored in a storage unit that has been serviced at a factory or licensed magazine and is bolted or welded to the vehicle or, if the explosives are jet perforating guns, the guns are securely locked to the vehicle; and
  3. a device or system is in place to ensure that the vehicle is immobilized and that the driver is alerted by an alarm if an attempt is made to steal the explosives, tamper with the storage unit or tamper with or steal the vehicle.

A vehicle containing explosives numbered UN 0332 or UN 3375 that are transported in bulk may be attended using electronic means if the following requirements are met:

  1. the vehicle, including the portion of the vehicle containing explosives, is locked;
  2. the vehicle, including the portion of the vehicle containing explosives, is parked in a secure location and is under video surveillance;
  3. the vehicle has a device or system to ensure that the vehicle is immobilized and that the driver and carrier are alerted by an alarm if an attempt is made to steal the explosives or tamper with or steal the vehicle; and
  4. in the case of an emergency, the driver or carrier contacts the appropriate authorities as soon as feasible

Attended in person typically means the physical presence of an authorized person who is alert and constantly watchful over an explosive, at all times, so as to be aware of unusual activity and to respond quickly and according to established protocol.

Attended by electronic means for subsection 199(4) typically means having a:

  • “secure location” that is a site away from the public (for example, a remote site that is not is not used frequently, or a difficult-to-access location), or a site that has access control (for example, a mine, quarry, or a secure compound);
  • “video system” that is a system that can effectively live-stream a video of the vehicle / explosive so that the driver or carrier can evaluate the state of the vehicle / explosives if needed;
  • “device or system that will immobilize a vehicle” that is a device that would stop thieves from starting the vehicle by ‘hot wiring’, or by disabling the engine via some geofencing immobilizer; and
  • “alarm” that is system with effective sensors to detect intrusions and indicate alarm conditions to the operator.

Transportation by vessel

No person shall, at a wharf or port facility, load onto or unload from a vessel packaged goods that contain 25 kg or more of explosives unless

  1. the quantity of explosives does not exceed 20 000 kg and the explosives are loaded or unloaded by driving a single vehicle directly aboard a roll-on, roll-off cargo vessel immediately before departing, or driving it ashore immediately after arrival, on a last-on, first-off basis; or
  2. a quantified risk assessment has been conducted on the wharf or port facility where explosives of the types in question will be loaded or unloaded and an inspector has determined that the quantity of explosives to be loaded or unloaded does not exceed the maximum quantity permitted for each type of explosive and hazard category in the assessment report and the safety measures set out in the report are complied with.

For more information, consult G09-02: Guidelines for quantified risk assessments at ports and wharves.

Other requirements

Other requirements covered in the Explosives Regulations deal with tracking and communication systems, obtaining assistance, loading and unloading, daily vehicle inspections, repairs, and other safety and security provisions. See Part 9 of the Explosives Regulations for details.

Contact us

Explosives Regulatory Division
National Headquarters
588 Booth Street, 4th Floor
Ottawa ON  K1A 0Y7
Tel.: 1-855-912-0012
Email: ERDmms@nrcan.gc.ca

Page details

Date modified: