Explosives Regulations Amendments 2026: Fire Safety Plans Now, Transport Permits in 2028

Canada's Explosives Regulations, 2013 changed on October 21, 2026, when the Canada Gazette, Part II published SOR/2026-206. Most of the amendments apply from that day, including more detailed fire safety plan rules for explosives factories and magazines and some transport rules. Two groups of changes come later: new fees and the propellant powder registration and sale-record rules on April 1, 2027, and a transport permit for carriers of high-hazard explosives, with certified driver training and new shipper duties, on October 21, 2028. 1

What is SOR/2026-206?

SOR/2026-206 is the Regulations Amending the Explosives Regulations, 2013. It was made under the Explosives Act on the recommendation of the Minister of Natural Resources, registered on October 9, 2026 and published on October 21, 2026. 1

It is the second of two amendment packages from Natural Resources Canada's review of the Regulations. The first package came into force on May 2, 2024. 2

On October 26, 2026, the consolidated text of the Explosives Regulations, 2013 on the Justice Laws website was current to September 30, 2026, so it did not yet include SOR/2026-206. 3 Until that text is updated, read the amendments in the Canada Gazette. 1

What do the key terms mean?

• Explosive: under section 2 of the Explosives Act, any thing that is made, manufactured or used to produce an explosion or a detonation or pyrotechnic effect, including any thing the regulations prescribe to be an explosive. Gases, organic peroxides and any thing the regulations prescribe not to be an explosive are excluded. 4
• Types of explosives: the Chief Inspector of Explosives classifies each authorized explosive by type, according to its intended use. The types are E (high explosives), I (initiation systems), P (propellant powder, which includes black powder and smokeless powder), C (cartridges), D (military and law enforcement explosives), F (fireworks), R (rocket motors) and S (special purpose explosives). 3
• High-hazard explosives: Natural Resources Canada uses this term for types I, E and D. 2
• Transport permit: a permit issued under paragraph 7(1)(b) of the Explosives Act that authorizes a carrier to use a road vehicle to transport explosives. This definition is added on October 21, 2028. 1
• Shipper: from October 21, 2028, a person who arranges for a carrier, prepares the explosives for transport and transfers them to the carrier. 1

When do the changes take effect?

Section 160 of the amending regulations sets three dates: 1

• October 21, 2026, the day of publication: every change not listed below. That includes the fire safety plan, emergency response plan, employee awareness and magazine monitoring requirements, the new propellant powder storage limits for sellers (sections 284 and 286.2 to 286.5), and the transport rules described in this article as applying now.
• April 1, 2027: the new fee table, new fees for export and in-transit permits, the registration number for unlicensed propellant powder retailers, buyer identification rules and distributors' sale records for propellant powder, and a few other provisions listed in subsection 160(2).
• October 21, 2028, the second anniversary of publication: the transport permit, the related rules for shippers and sellers, and the driver certification requirements.

What do the new rules require for fire safety plans at explosives factories?

An application for a factory licence must now include emergency response plans that contain a fire safety plan. 1 The fire safety plan must set out:

• the measures to minimize the likelihood of a fire at the site and to control the spread of any fire;
• the emergency procedures to follow in case of a fire, including activating the alarms, notifying the fire department, and evacuation, with evacuation routes and safe assembly places;
• when a fire should or should not be fought, and a procedure for deciding whether to fight it;
• the measures to train employees in the plan's measures, procedures and circumstances. 1

Once the factory is licensed, the holder of a division 1 factory licence has three ongoing duties at the factory and at each satellite site: 1

• Keep it current. The emergency response plans must be updated for any change in circumstances that could adversely affect the safety of the factory or satellite site.
• Tell the fire department. The local fire department must be notified of the presence of explosives on site, told that a copy of the fire safety plan will be sent to it on request, and notified of any updates. A copy of the latest plan must be sent to the department when it asks.
• Tell every employee. A copy of the latest fire safety plan must be made available to every employee at the factory or satellite site, and every employee must be made aware of the content of the most recent emergency response plan.

Holders of a division 2 factory licence follow the same model. Their licence application must include an emergency response plan that includes a fire safety plan. Sections 128.2 to 128.4 require them to update it, notify the local fire department, send the plan on request, make it available to every employee at the factory and make every employee aware of the emergency response plan. 1

What changes for magazine licence holders?

Magazines follow the same model. A magazine licence application, other than for a shared magazine licence or by a drop-ship seller, must include a fire safety plan covering the same points, plus the contact details of the applicant and of the person responsible for the plan. Once the magazine is licensed, section 154 requires that: 1

• the local fire department is notified of the presence of explosives, of the fact that a copy of the plan is available on request, and of any updates;
• a copy of the latest plan is sent to the fire department on request and made available to every employee at the magazine site;
• every employee at the magazine site is made aware of the plan's content;
• the plan is updated for any change in circumstances that could adversely affect the safety of the site.

For magazines, this replaces an older rule. Magazine licence holders no longer send their fire safety plan to the local fire department automatically; they tell the department it is available and send it on request. 2

Two new security rules for magazines also apply from October 21, 2026. Magazines for type E and type I explosives must be attended by physical or electronic means that the Minister finds acceptable for the security risks at the site, unless the licence says otherwise. Signs warning against unauthorized entry must be posted at magazine sites for type D, E or I explosives. 1

What does the regulation say about training factory employees?

Subsection 82(1) now reads that every employee must be trained to carry out their duties at the factory or a satellite site in a safe and lawful manner. The training must be given by a competent person, or by a person who otherwise has the knowledge, training and experience to give it. 1

How are explosives classified and marked for transport?

Under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Regulations, Class 1, Explosives, has six divisions: 5

• Class 1.1: mass explosion hazard.
• Class 1.2: projection hazard but not a mass explosion hazard.
• Class 1.3: fire hazard and either a minor blast hazard or a minor projection hazard or both, but not a mass explosion hazard.
• Class 1.4: no significant hazard beyond the package in the event of ignition or initiation during transport.
• Class 1.5: very insensitive substances with a mass explosion hazard.
• Class 1.6: extremely insensitive articles with no mass explosion hazard.

Explosives are also divided into 13 compatibility groups, each identified by a letter. Group D, for example, includes secondary detonating explosive substances and black powder. 6 The division and the letter are written together, as in 1.1D. Natural Resources Canada's transport guidance uses these codes, for example when it lists up to 12 kg of 1.1D black powder as lower-risk transport. 7

The Class 1 label and placard have an orange background, with the class number 1 at the bottom and the compatibility group letter above it. For Classes 1.1 to 1.3, the top portion shows an exploding bomb, and the division number appears with the letter. For Classes 1.4 to 1.6, the top portion shows the division number instead of the bomb. 8

What changes for carriers and shippers now?

Among the transport rules replaced on October 21, 2026 are these three: 1

• Fire-extinguishing equipment. A carrier must make sure that a vehicle containing explosives is equipped with fire-extinguishing equipment suitable for the fire hazards the vehicle is exposed to.
• Damaged or deteriorated explosives. The shipper and the carrier must not transport damaged or deteriorated explosives unless it can be done safely, precautions that minimize the likelihood of an ignition have been taken, the manufacturer's applicable instructions are followed and the transport is done according to product classification.
• Items carried with explosives. The shipper and the carrier must make sure that items other than explosives are carried with explosives only if they are stowed, or separated from the explosives, so as to minimize the likelihood of an ignition.

What changes on April 1, 2027?

Propellant powder sales change on April 1, 2027. A retailer without a licence will need a registration number to acquire, store and sell propellant powder, retailers will have to apply updated buyer identification rules before selling, and a distributor will have to keep a record of each sale to a retailer for at least two years. 1 The same date brings the new fee table, including new fees for export and in-transit permits. 1

The new limits on how much propellant powder sellers may store already apply from October 21, 2026. 1

Who will need a transport permit from October 21, 2028?

Until that date, Natural Resources Canada's transport guidance says that, in general, no permit is needed to transport explosives. 7

From October 21, 2028, a carrier must hold a transport permit before transporting high-hazard explosives, as defined in section 175 of the Regulations, on a public road. 1 Natural Resources Canada describes these as types I, E and D. 2 Subsection 190(1) also lists explosives whose carriers and drivers are not subject to sections 190.1 to 203.1, which include the permit. 1 The list goes by UN number and quantity, for example no more than 12 kg of black powder (UN 0027 or UN 0028), no more than 150 kg of smokeless powder (UN 0161 or UN 0509) and any quantity of small arms cartridges (UN 0012). 3

The rules for the permit are: 1

• Application. The carrier sends the Chief Inspector of Explosives the department's application form, with contact details for the applicant and a contact person, and a list of the vehicles that will carry explosives, with their descriptions and vehicle identification numbers.
• Validity. A permit is valid for three years from the date it is issued.
• Vehicle list. The carrier keeps the vehicle list up to date and sends it to the Chief Inspector every year.
• Exemptions. The permit does not apply to law enforcement agencies and peace officers on duty, holders of a factory licence or manufacturing certificate and their employees, magazine licence holders, or holders of a fireworks operator certificate. Nor does it apply to federal employees and inspectors on duty, certain vehicles licensed outside Canada, people carrying explosives for personal use within the unlicensed storage limits, or carriers responding to an emergency, an accident or a breakdown.
• Shippers and sellers. A shipper or seller must not transfer high-hazard explosives to a carrier unless the carrier holds a valid transport permit or is exempt. For any other explosives, the shipper or seller must first verify that the driver has been informed, in the manner and form the Minister specifies, of the applicable Part 9 requirements and the safety precautions referred to in section 19.
• Shipper records. Before hiring a carrier for high-hazard explosives, a shipper must verify that the carrier holds a valid permit or is exempt. The shipper then keeps a record of each carrier hired for two years from the date of the shipment: the permit number and expiry date, or why no permit is needed, and the dates of transport. For other explosives, the shipper keeps, for two years, a record of how the driver was informed.

Natural Resources Canada says verification methods, guidance and training materials will be posted online one year before the transport permit starts. 2

What driver training will transport permit holders need?

A transport permit holder must make sure that every driver who transports explosives is certified as trained. 1 The requirements are:

• Who can be certified. The holder certifies a driver who has completed the training set out in section 192.2, or a driver the holder has reasonable grounds to believe understands the hazards and can work safely, lawfully and in a way that keeps the explosives secure.
• Proof. The evidence is a training record, or a document signed by the trainer or by the permit holder. It is given to the driver and shows the driver's name, the operating procedures the driver is competent to carry out, and the expiry date.
• Expiry. A certification expires no more than five years after it is given. If the operating procedures change, the driver is trained in the new procedures, but the expiry date stays the same.
• Records. The carrier keeps a record of the basis for each driver's certification for at least two years after it expires. 1

The training must cover what the driver needs to keep themselves, the public and the explosives safe and secure. That includes a review of the relevant provisions of the Explosives Act and the Regulations, the precautions that minimize the likelihood of an ignition, and the carrier's policies and procedures for transporting explosives safely and securely. It must be given by a person with the training, knowledge and experience to deliver it. 1

This certification adds to the rules carriers already follow under the TDG Regulations. For shipments of explosives that need no permit, Natural Resources Canada notes that TDG shipping documents already carry records, and expects shippers to indicate on them that the driver's explosives training has been verified. 2 Under Part 6 of the TDG Regulations, anyone who handles, offers for transport or transports dangerous goods must be adequately trained and hold a valid training certificate, unless they work in the presence and under the direct supervision of a trained person. 9 Our guide to TDG training and our TDG course cover that requirement.

Key takeaways

• Since October 21, 2026: explosives factories and magazines need a fire safety plan with set contents, kept up to date, made available to every employee, known to every employee and sent to the local fire department on request. The rule on fire-extinguishing equipment in vehicles carrying explosives was also replaced: the equipment must now suit the vehicle's fire hazards. 1
• April 1, 2027: new fees, and a registration number, buyer identification and sale records for propellant powder. 1
• October 21, 2028: carriers of high-hazard explosives need a three-year transport permit, every permit holder must certify each driver who transports explosives as trained, with a certification that expires within five years, and shippers must verify permits and keep records. 1