The amendments are primarily administrative, with some related to aligning the Explosives Regulations with other regulations and policy.

The consultation is open for 30 days, with a deadline of June 26^th.

CAAR will provide member comments to Fertilizer Canada who will be taking the lead to review impacts to the agriculture industry.  Please share any concerns or comments with CAAR Executive Director Mitch Rezansoff at 204-989-9303.

Executive summary of the issue

Issue: Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) Explosives Program (the Program) and the explosives sector have undergone changes since the Explosives Regulations, 2013 (the Regulations) were last significantly updated nearly 10 years ago. The Regulations need to be updated to remain relevant and achieve safety and security objectives.

Description: The regulatory proposal would amend the Regulations to enhance safety and improve efficiency by ensuring requirements are aligned with safety and security risks, reducing the unnecessary administrative burden, aligning with best practices of national and international partners, and clarifying the intent of regulatory requirements.

Rationale: NRCan’s Explosives Regulatory Review (the Review) engaged in extensive research and outreach to identify key irritants with the current Regulations. Several key themes emerged, including that the regulatory regime requires modernization and “clean-up” and that the administrative burden needs to be reduced. The Review assessed the impact of the proposed amendments on the industry and Canadians quantitatively and qualitatively through a cost-benefit analysis (CBA). The CBA found a highly positive and robust net impact for the amendments. The Review also estimated positive impacts for small businesses and no net increased administrative burden under the one-for-one rule.