Canada’s transition from TERMPOL to the Navigation Safety Assessment Process (NSAP)

Transport Canada has issued a bulletin outlining the transition from the voluntary TERMPOL (Terminal Environmental Review Process) to the Navigation Safety Assessment Process (NSAP), which is now fully integrated into Canada’s Impact Assessment Act (IAA). This change was part of the broader goals under the Oceans Protection Plan to improve marine safety, streamline regulatory processes, and enhance coordination with Indigenous communities and the public.

Background

Previously, TERMPOL was a voluntary process where proponents of marine projects, such as proposed terminals and transshipment sites, would voluntarily submit their projects for a safety review by Transport Canada. This review primarily focused on projects handling bulk shipments of oil, chemicals, liquefied gases, and other potentially hazardous substances. However, TERMPOL was not a regulatory requirement but rather a tool to identify safety issues and potential non-compliance with regulations.

Transport Canada, as part of its review of the TERMPOL process, identified areas where the safety review process could be improved. The review led to the introduction of the NSAP, which aims to integrate safety assessments into Canada’s formal Impact Assessment regime for marine projects. This integration ensures that navigation safety considerations are included in the broader environmental and regulatory review process under the Impact Assessment Act