26 THE CAAR COMMUNICATOR Most of us know the basics about Transport Canada—that it has something to do with creating and maintaining federal transportation policies and programs. We know that it has promoted safe, secure, efficient, and environmentally responsible transportation rules and regulations—the only caveat is that there is no real way to ensure everything is being followed on road, rail, marine, or air transportation unless someone is doing something wrong and gets caught. The Client Identification Database (CID) is a platform introduced by Transport Canada that will be used to register and identify persons and organizations who import, offer to transport, handle, or transport dangerous goods in Canada. And, on October 6, 2023, specifically in response to recommendations from the Office of the Auditor General of Canada, it was revised. The overall goal of the CID is to: • Better assess risk; • Enhance overall safety measures; • Facilitate effective communication and collaboration between Trans- port Canada and registered per- sons or organizations. To reach those goals, necessary changes had to be made, with the latest involving businesses that transport dangerous goods. For such parties, they will need to register with the CID and do so before October 25, 2024. The registration affects all businesses that import, offer to transport, handle, or transport dangerous goods in Canada, including but not limited to Class 7 radioactive material. Businesses also need to identify all of their sites where dangerous goods are handled, offered for transport, transported, or imported, which will then provide Transport Canada with a more accurate picture of all of the stakeholders and will be used to facilitate risk-based oversight of dangerous goods sites. As well as performing the registration before the autumn, all participants will have to maintain their registered status by updating their information annually, regardless of whether the information is unchanged. Once registered, it is good for three years, at which time you will need to notify Transport Canada of your continued movement of dangerous goods on the roads. The ag concern To be fair, there is no singular, specific impact on the agricultural industry. But there is an indirect impact. The CID does come into play for any agricultural businesses that are involved in the transportation of dangerous goods. We’re not talking about killer tomatoes, but it does relate to any agricultural business that transports herbicides, pesticides, or combustible fuel for heating the farmhouse or barn or simply various fuels for vehicular purposes, be it tractors, combines, pickup trucks, etc. In such an instance, the business that is doing the transporting needs to register with the CID and provide information about the dangerous goods they are moving. We understand that there is always a concern from some members and their customers about the federal government wanting to know everything, but we can tell you just what it is that they want. Please note that this is not optional. CAAR advises members to consult with a legal expert or Transport Canada for specific implications for their situation. So what do they want to add to the CID? Just the basics: • The company’s name, address, and province(s) of operation; • The site’s physical addresses where dangerous goods are im- ported, offered for transport, han- dled, or transported; • Details regarding the type of dan- gerous goods involved and the mode by which they are being transported Although CAAR Executive Director Myrna Grahn has offered to provide more details about the database if asked, you may also seek more information from the Client Identification Database Platform User Guide provided by Transport Canada. It contains step-by-step instructions and references to assist you in registering your organization and its related dangerous goods activities. Again, all persons or organizations who import, offer to transport, handle, or transport dangerous goods in Canada must register with Transport Canada through the CID by October 25, 2024. The registration is valid for three years and must be renewed before the expiration date. TRAVELLING THE ROADS SAFELY dates from Transport Canada mean everyone transporting dangerous materials must be registered on a federal database. Andrew Joseph, Editor Gethuk_Studio - stock.adobe.com TRANSPORTATION
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