{"id":861887,"date":"2023-01-10T13:23:32","date_gmt":"2023-01-10T18:23:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecompliancecenter.com\/ca\/?p=861887"},"modified":"2025-09-08T00:35:47","modified_gmt":"2025-09-08T04:35:47","slug":"transport-canada-completes-study-on-e-documents-what-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thecompliancecenter.com\/ca\/help-center\/articles\/transport-canada-completes-study-on-e-documents-what-next\/","title":{"rendered":"Transport Canada Completes Study on e-Documents \u2013 What Next?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Transport Canada Completes Study on e-Documents \u2013 What Next?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s face it \u2013 many parts of the current systems in Canadian and US transportation regulations are not exactly in sync with modern technology. These systems trace back to methods from the early twentieth century (or even earlier), when the most modern tools for creating shipping papers were typewriters or that newest miracle of advanced technology, the ball-point pen. So, it\u2019s been the standard that dangerous goods shipments in the US and Canada always have to be accompanied by a paper document including the essential information for emergency responders.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, nearly a hundred years later, we must ask if there\u2019s a better way.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Sandbox Study on Electronic Shipping Documents\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Transport Canada has started to try to find an answer to that question. In early 2020, they started a \u201csandbox\u201d study to see if electronic dangerous goods shipping documents would be feasible. The study concluded this spring, and <\/span>a report of the findings has just been issued as of October 21.<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

First, you might ask, what is a \u201csandbox\u201d study? Well, if you are familiar with video games, it\u2019s a term meaning an activity where participants are allowed to do things without guidance and as they choose. Think of kids playing in a sandbox, happily digging, or constructing things without being told how to do it. This sort of study allows participants to come up with solutions that might not be obvious at first to regulators.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, there\u2019s a much bigger risk when dealing with real-life shipments of dangerous goods, so it wasn\u2019t quite as free as your neighborhood playground. According to the report \u201cTransport Canada identified companies interested in trialing e-shipping documents and worked one-on-one with them to come up with safe solutions using their existing operating systems.\u201d In addition, special focus was given to firefighting groups in the area, and Transport Canada worked closely with the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs to ensure responders were adequately protected. However, eventually volunteer companies were collected and provided with permits (equivalency certificates) to try out new methods of documenting dangerous goods shipments.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some readers may have already realized a potential glitch \u2013 the start date was just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Although this didn\u2019t stop the study, it did reduce the number and extent of exercises that could be done to test the effectiveness of the e-documents in emergency response situations.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Results of the Study\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

So, after the designated participants finished the sandbox and dusted themselves off, what were the conclusions? First, it was realized that not all modes are the same.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n