New TDG Amendments Are Now in Force — Here's What Canadian Chemical Compliance Teams Need to Review
Canada’s Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations (TDGR) have been recently updated. Published in the Canada Gazette, Part II on June 17, 2026, the Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, 1992 (Part 12 and International Harmonization Update), bring Canadian requirements into closer alignment with both international UN standards and U.S. 49 CFR requirements.
For organizations in oil and gas, chemical distribution, and industrial sectors, many of these changes touch directly on how dangerous goods are classified, documented, marked, and transported. Some changes will require a review and update to existing TDG classification, shipping documents and safety data sheets (SDS) and related compliance documentation.
This post summarizes the key amendments most relevant to Chemscape clients and outlines where SDS reviews are warranted.
Petroleum Products: Refined Classification for Crude, Condensate, and Heated Liquids
The amendments bring improved clarity around the classification of higher flashpoint liquids in the 60–93°C range, formally confirming their classification as Class 3, Packing Group III. For producers and transporters of crude oil, condensate, and refined fuel products, this may require a review of existing SDS entries to ensure flashpoint data and classification language are correctly aligned with the updated regulatory text.
Two additional documentation requirements have also been introduced: a "HOT" designation is now required for elevated temperature products, and flashpoint data must be included for marine transport documentation. If your transport classification, shipping document, and SDS don’t currently include this level of detail, this is a prompt to update them. The amendments also enable use of "Residue – Last Contained" language for returning tanks — a practical clarification that affects shipping document practices.
Action item: Review TDG classifications, shipping document, and SDS for crude oil, condensate, and any heated liquid products. Confirm flashpoint values are present and accurate. Ensure classification aligns with Class 3, PG III where applicable.
Sour Crude and H2S: Removal of Redundant Toxic Inhalation Wording
One of the more notable SDS-related changes is the removal of Special Provision 106, which previously required "toxic by inhalation" wording to be included even where appropriate classification already captured the hazard. For sour crude (UN 1267 and UN 3494), this provision created duplicative and potentially confusing language.
For organizations that have included "toxic by inhalation" wording on SDS to satisfy SP106, those entries should be reviewed and revised.
Action item: Review TDG classification, shipping document, and SDS for H2S-containing petroleum crude oil products. Confirm classification is correct for UN 1267. Note that "toxic by inhalation" supplementary language is only warranted for crudes with a significantly high (>16%) concentration of hydrogen sulfide.
LPG, Propane, and Butane: New Marking Requirements for Non-Odorized Product
For NGL, propane, and butane transport, the amendments introduce a new marking requirement: non-odorized LPG must now be marked as "NON-ODORIZED" on containers. This is a meaningful emergency response and field safety measure, as unodorized LPG presents a higher detection risk in leak scenarios.
Updated gas definitions and limited flexibility provisions for certain low-pressure gases are also introduced. If your TDG documentation and SDS for LPG products doesn’t currently distinguish between odorized and non-odorized product, this is the time to address that gap.
Action item: Review TDG classification, shipping document, and SDS and transport documentation for LPG products. Add odorization status as a documented product characteristic where applicable.
Environmental Classification: Updates to UN 3077 and UN 3082
The amendments update the classification criteria for environmentally hazardous substances, affecting products shipped under UN 3077 (Environmentally Hazardous Substance, Solid) and UN 3082 (Environmentally Hazardous Substance, Liquid). These changes are particularly relevant for waste streams, produced fluids, contaminated materials, and certain chemical products with aquatic hazard profiles.
Organizations managing produced water, waste chemicals, or contaminated soils should confirm their current TDG classification remains accurate under the updated criteria.
Action item: Review TDG classification, shipping document, and SDS and classification records for any products currently shipped under UN 3077 or UN 3082. Confirm aquatic hazard and TDG classification data is current and consistent with the updated standard.
Cross-Border Shipments: Recognition of U.S. Requirements
For organizations transporting dangerous goods across the Canada–U.S. border, the amendments formally enable use of U.S. 49 CFR requirements for cross-border transport and recognize U.S. special permits. This alignment reduces compliance friction for operators managing dual-jurisdiction shipments of crude, NGL, or equipment.
While this change is primarily operational, it may prompt a review of TDG classification, shipping document, and SDS to ensure that classification and hazard information is presented in a way that supports both Canadian and U.S. transport documentation requirements, particularly for products that move regularly across the border.
Articles Containing Dangerous Goods: New Classification Pathways
The amendments introduce new UN numbers for "articles containing dangerous goods", a category that covers packaged equipment, skids, and integrated systems that contain DG as a functional component (fuel in generators, hydraulic fluids in machinery, etc.). This provides clearer classification options for equipment transport, which has historically occupied a grey area in the regulations.
For operators and manufacturers moving equipment with integral fuels or fluids, this is worth reviewing alongside your existing TDG classification, shipping document and SDS to ensure classification is correctly applied.
Keeping Your SDS Library Current: Chemscape’s Authoring Services
Regulatory updates like these are a reminder that SDS accuracy isn’t a one-time effort — it requires ongoing attention as classification standards, transport requirements, and hazard criteria evolve. For organizations that don’t have the internal resources to manage SDS authoring and revision at scale, Chemscape offers professional SDS authoring services powered by Quantum SDS. Whether you need a targeted review of affected products or a full library update, our authoring team works to GHS/WHMIS 2015 standards and stays current with Canadian and international regulatory changes — including updates like the 2026 TDG amendments. Learn more about Chemscape’s SDS authoring services.
Means of Containment: Compliance Timelines to Track
Operators should also be aware that the amendments adopt updated Canadian standards for tanks, IBCs, and packaging (including CGSB43.145 and CGSB43.150) and introduce periodic design retesting requirements every five years, beginning in 2029. Planning for these compliance timelines now is advisable.
Small Quantity and Limited Quantity Exemptions
The amendments update the 150 kg and 500 kg exemption thresholds and revise limited quantity provisions. For field operations involving small volumes of chemicals or maintenance materials, these changes may provide some administrative relief, but the thresholds and conditions should be reviewed to confirm your operations qualify.
Next Steps for Chemscape Clients
The June 2026 TDG amendments are now in force. For organizations shipping products and managing SDS across multiple product lines, particularly in oil and gas, this is a good opportunity to conduct a targeted review against the key changes summarized above.
Priority areas for TDG classification, shipping documents and SDS review include:
- Crude oil, condensate, and heated liquid products (flashpoint accuracy, Class 3 PG III alignment)
- Sour crude products (UN 1267 / UN 3494 classification, legacy toxic inhalation language)
- LPG and propane products (odorization status)
- Products classified under UN 3077 / UN 3082 (updated environmental criteria)
- Cross-border products where dual Canada/U.S. classification alignment is needed
If you have questions about how these amendments affect your SDS library or compliance documentation, the Chemscape team can help. Contact us or explore our SDS management solutions to see how we support ongoing regulatory alignment.
The full regulatory text and Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement (RIAS) are available in the Canada Gazette, Part II: SOR/2026-112.