Transport licensing
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) issues licences to transport nuclear substances in specific situations. The information to be submitted as part of the application is set out in the Packaging and Transport of Nuclear Substances Regulations, 2015. CNSC staff review the information after an application is received to ensure the shipment can be done safely.
Overview
The Packaging and Transport of Nuclear Substances Regulations, 2015 (PTNSR 2015) requires that specific transport licences be issued in the following circumstances:
- transport of Category I, II or III nuclear material
- transport of nuclear substances while in transit
- transport of nuclear substances contained in large objects
- transport of nuclear substances when the transport cannot meet all of the regulatory requirements
- transport of nuclear substances that require a multilateral approval of shipments
- transport of nuclear substances that require a special use vessel
Transport of nuclear substances in Canada
Learn how the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission regulates the transport of nuclear substances in Canada—from packing to delivery.
Transcript
Soft, uplifting music plays.
The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission signature appears.
Text appears: The transport of nuclear substances in Canada is safe and highly regulated.
Narrator: The transport of nuclear substances in Canada is safe and highly regulated. Anyone who transports nuclear substances must follow strict requirements set by Transport Canada and by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, or the CNSC.
Two shields, each inscribed with a check mark, appear. The shield on the left sits on a green background with the word “Safe” below it. The shield next to it sits on a blue background with the words “Highly regulated” below it.
An illustration of a person reviewing a document appears. To the right, 4 vertically stacked shields with check marks appear one at a time. A hand holding a certificate slides in from the left, and a blue truck rolls in just below it.
The words “Transport Canada” and “Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission” fly in from opposite sides and meet in the middle just below the image.
A map of Canada appears to the left. To the right, a number counter appears with large green numbers rolling up to reach the number 750,000. As the counter goes up, the map of Canada fills up with the colour blue from the bottom to the top until the counter stops and the map is solid blue.
Text appears: 750,000 shipments of nuclear substances are transported to, from and within Canada every year.
Narrator: About three quarters of a million shipments of nuclear substances are transported to, from and within Canada every year. The vast majority of these shipments contain substances that are used for medical, industrial, academic, research and commercial purposes.
A green rectangle, representing an empty shipment, fills the screen. Five smaller white rectangles fly in from the right to fill the shipment. A bell-like sound marks the appearance of each rectangle. Each one has an illustration representing the types of substances that shipments can contain: medical, industrial, academic, research and commercial. The image freezes on the screen for a moment.
Narrator: Only a very small proportion of shipments include radioactive waste and used nuclear fuel.
The shipment image zooms out to reveal a total of 12 similar shipments stacked in a blue transport truck. As the image zooms out, a small purple package can be seen, representing radioactive waste and used nuclear fuel. It continues to zoom out, emphasizing the very small proportion of the radioactive waste and used fuel in comparison to other the shipments in the truck. The blue truck turns green, and drives to the left, disappearing from view. A simple sketch of trees and a landscape remains on the screen.
The screen is divided in the middle by a thin horizontal black line . On the left side is an image of a transport truck. In the background there are mountains and trees, and a large map is floating, showing a route with a green line. On the right side of the screen is a character looking down at a tablet, and a digital map showing the route with a green line is in the background. The 2 green lines begin to simultaneously disappear and the screen fades to white.
Narrator: Routes for transporting higher-risk material are not shared publicly to keep the material safe and to protect people and the environment.
At the left of the screen, a blue transport truck appears with a map flashing in the background. An oversized character wearing a red hooded shirt and a face mask is gripping the truck. A circle with a diagonal slash forms around this image, and the music becomes dramatic.
A scene to the right emerges, pushing the scene on the left away and moving to the centre. This scene features a nature composition, with 2 large mountains and trees in the background. A brown bear and its cub watch salmon jump in and out the water. Across the river is a family: One character is standing up looking at a trail map, and the other is kneeling down with a child, admiring the vegetation. A rabbit appears from behind the person kneeling, and a bird can be seen flying far in the distance. The scene is enclosed by a green circle, and a pair of oversized hands fly in to hold the circle, demonstrating protection. The scene fades to white.
A package designer is at a workstation. Packages move across a conveyor belt until they reach the designer who, using an index finger, activates the design process. Gears begin to turn and lights flash. Packages roll out on the belt and more packages roll in. A small globe with a green shield appears at the centre, expanding to cover the screen before it fades out.
Narrator: For nuclear substances, safety relies heavily on the design of the transport package. Each package must meet the CNSC’s requirements, which are based on international standards. These standards ensure that packages are secure, can be handled safely, and are strong enough to withstand routine transport conditions.
Three individuals at the centre of a scene, with 2 green shields – 1 on either side of them. One person is looking at a tablet and the others are pointing to a location drop pin. A drone flies up from the ground while a plane flies across the sky. A train rolls in from the left while a ship moves in from the right, below the characters, and traffic-like sounds such as horns and engines can be heard in the background.
Narrator: For packages carrying high-risk material, the requirements are even more robust, and packages are tested to ensure that they are safe in the event of an accident.
A truck with high-risk material is at a testing facility. This image becomes smaller as it moves to the top left corner of the screen, fading to reveal 4 quadrants, each displaying a different scene. Text in the centre of the screen reads “Tests simulate potential accidental conditions.”
The top left quadrant shows a package being dropped to the ground from a high distance, with a worker observing. The scene at the top right shows a package being exposed to high temperatures. In the bottom left quadrant, a package is submerged in water. At the bottom right, a blue transport truck is carrying a package. The screen zooms in on the truck, which turns green and rolls out of the scene.
Narrator: CNSC engineers certify packages for use in Canada for the highest-risk quantities and types of nuclear substances.
Three engineers holding documents and pens are looking at a high-risk package and nodding. This image moves up to the left to reveal an image of a certificate with a map of Canada. To the left of the certificate is a hand holding up a stamp. As the hand comes down and uses the stamp, the word “CERTIFIED” appears below it, and the certificate badge changes from blue to green.
Narrator: All transport activities involving nuclear substances must comply with CNSC regulations, even though most shipments do not require a licence. When required, transport licences are issued by a designated officer on behalf of the Commission.
An oversized image shows an inspector sitting over an exit gate. A green truck rolls to the gate; the inspector has his hand up and taps a green shield appearing as the truck pulls up. A check mark appears in the shield, which activates the barrier arm to raise up to let the truck go through. Another truck pulls up, but this time the shield appears in yellow to indicate that a licence is required. A licensing document comes up from below and reaches the shield. The shield turns green, the check mark activates, the barrier arm raises up, truck rolls ahead and scene fades to white.
Narrator: CNSC inspectors conduct frequent compliance checks to verify proof of training for transport workers, review documents, and inspect packages to ensure that they are properly prepared for transport.
A scene is split into 4 quadrants. The top left shows an inspector taking a close look at the compliance report on a tablet. At the top right is a person sitting at a desk taking training. There is an image of a green truck on the computer screen and a training certificate flies in from the right. The bottom left shows an inspector reviewing the documents as an industrial cart with packages rolls up to a check point. The bottom right shows an inspector reviewing packages before being loaded for transport. A green circle with a check mark appears on the documents and the inspector nods. The scene fades to white.
Narrator: Inspectors have the power to stop the transport of nuclear substances if the packages do not comply with our regulations.
In the middle of the screen is a map with an inspector in front, their hand facing forward. A dark grey truck rolls in from the left towards the inspector. The inspector’s hand turns up and gets larger to signal “stop”; a banner with a lock and the word “STOP” appears in the top left corner of the map – all red. A yellow shield with an exclamation mark expands and covers the middle of the truck. The scene fades out.
Four previously seen scenes fly in and stay close to each corner of the screen. The top left is the scene showing a designer working on packages. The top right scene shows methods of transportation such as a drone, truck, airplane, train and ship. The bottom left scene displays a transport route for higher-risk materials, with the route disappearing (not shared publicly). The bottom right shows a nature scene with an adult brown bear and its cub, watching salmon jump in and out of the water, surrounded by mountains. Across the river is a family enjoying nature, one person is standing up looking at a trail map, and the other kneeling down facing a child, both admiring the vegetation. A rabbit hops behind the parent and child, and an eagle can be seen and heard in the distance. A green circle forms around this scene and a pair of oversized hands fly in to hold the green circle to signify protection. The screen turns green.
Narrator: From packaging to delivery, the CNSC’s oversight of the transport of nuclear substances in Canada ensures the protection of the environment as well as the and the health, safety, and security of all people in Canada.
The screen fills with white, and a blue banner opens up from the middle, displaying the hyperlink text for the CNSC website, reading “nuclearsafety.gc.ca”. The banner turns green and the screen fades to white. The Government of Canada federal identity wordmark appears. The video closes with a short musical outro.
Key points
Note these key points about transport licensing:
- Transport licences are mandatory for specific scenarios involving nuclear substances under Canadian regulations.
- Applications must demonstrate equivalent levels of safety when full regulatory compliance can't be achieved.
- CNSC staff conduct thorough, robust reviews of each application and consult subject matter experts when needed.
- Peer reviews and opportunities to be heard ensure the fairness and thoroughness of the transport licensing process.
Licence applications
Details on the specific information requirements for transport licence applications can be found in section 7 of the PTNSR 2015. The information required for a licence application depends on the type of licence that is requested.
Common types of licences
Most licences are issued for in-transit shipments and for the transport of Category I, II and III nuclear material. A licence may occasionally be issued for shipments that cannot meet all regulatory requirements. In these cases, however, the applicant must still be able to demonstrate at least an equivalent level of safety.
In-transit shipments
In-transit shipments refer to the movement of nuclear substances through Canada, when both the origin and final destination are outside Canada. A CNSC licence to transport is required when nuclear substances transiting Canada are transported in certified packages. Unless a shipment contains fissile material, a transport licence is not required for shipments transiting Canada by aircraft or by ship where no stop on Canadian land is scheduled.
The application must include the reason for selecting a route through Canada.
Transport of Category I, II and III nuclear material
A CNSC licence to transport is required for shipments of Category I, II or III nuclear material, as defined in section 1 of the Nuclear Security Regulations. These materials include:
- plutonium
- various grades of enriched uranium-235
- irradiated fuels consisting of depleted or natural uranium, thorium or low-enriched fuel
A transportation security plan must be submitted for CNSC as part of the licence application. REGDOC-2.12.3, Security of Nuclear Substances: Sealed Sources and Category I, II and III Nuclear Material, offers assistance in preparing a written transportation security plan.
Shipments that cannot meet all the requirements
In some circumstances, a proposed shipment cannot be transported in accordance with all of the regulatory requirements. The applicant must provide justification in this case as to why the shipment cannot be made in compliance with the regulations.
The applicant must demonstrate that the overall level of safety for the shipment is at least equivalent to that which would be provided if all the applicable requirements had been met. The licence is issued only if the shipment can be done safely.
Licence assessments
Applications are assessed by CNSC staff who review the information to ensure that the application is complete and that the shipment can be done safely. The assessment may involve specialists, such as nuclear security specialists, depending on the type of nuclear substances being shipped.
Applications are peer reviewed to ensure all requirements for the issuance of a licence are met. A recommendation is made to the CNSC designated officer who is responsible for issuing the licence.
An “opportunity to be heard” is available where approval is not recommended. The applicant can provide additional information and justification demonstrating that the shipment can be done safely.
Licensees are subject to inspections by a CNSC inspector once a licence is issued.
The review of an application can take 1 to 2 months depending on the type of application submitted. Service standards for licensing decisions are posted on the service standards page of the CNSC website. Fees for the issuance of a transport licence are provided in the fee schedule that is updated annually and posted on the cost recovery program page.
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