G/TBT/N/CAN/416  
 
16 June 2014  
(14-3469)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English/French  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member: CANADA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):    
2. Agency responsible: Public Health Agency of Canada 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above :  
Canada's Notification Authority and Enquiry Point  
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada  
Technical Barriers and Regulations Division  111, promenade Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G2 Canada 
Tel:  (343) 203-4273 
Fax:  613-943-0346 E-mail: enquirypoint@international.gc.ca  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applic able, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Water supplied on 
board conveyances (ICS codes: 13.060, 93.025). 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Potable Water on 
Board Trains, Vessels, Aircraft and Buses Regulations (25 pages, available in English and French).     G/TBT/N/CAN/416 
 
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  6. Description of content: There are potential public health risks to travellers associated 
with water supplied on board conveyances. The 1954 Potable Water Regulations for 
Common Carriers  (PWRCC) are federal regulations that aim to manage these risks. The 
PWRCC include provisions related to water disinfection, water quality and vessel 
construction that no longer reflect the latest industry or scientific standards. Consequently, new regulations with modernized requirements are being proposed to help ensure the 
continued protection of the travelling public in Canada. 
The objective of the proposed Potable Water on Board Trains, Vessels, Aircraft and Buses 
Regulations  (the proposed Regulations) is to protect the public by managing risks 
associated with water supplied to passengers travelling on conveyances. The proposed 
Regulations retain and clarify the key provisions of the PWRCC while providing updated requirements for water served to passengers.  
The proposed Regulations would require convey ance operators to ensure that water and 
ice are provided in sufficient quantity for passenger needs and for food preparation on 
board. Water and ice could be supplied from a potable water system, or as bottled water and prepackaged ice. Conveyance operators would need to ensure that bottled water and 
prepackaged ice meet the requirements set out in the Food and Drug Regulations  
(currently Division 12 of Part B), made pursuant to the Food and Drugs Act . 
The proposed Regulations specify that potable water systems would need to be designed, 
constructed and operated to prevent the risk of contamination, by preventing backflow, 
protecting filling connections and cross connections, and protecting the system from tampering. The proposed Regulations also specify that components of potable water systems must be clearly labelled. These fund amental design and operating measures aim 
to prevent potable water from mixing with non-potable water or wastewater, which could 
contaminate the potable water supply and lead to water-borne illness. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of Human health or Safety 
8. Relevant documents:  Canada Gazette , Part I, 10 May 2014, Pages 1153-1177 (available in 
English and French).  
9. Proposed date of adoption:   Normally within 6 to 8 months of publication in the Canada 
Gazette, Part I. 
Proposed date of entry into force:   The proposed Regulations would come into force six 
months after the day they are publis hed in the Canada Gazette, Part II   
10. Final date for comments: 24 July 2014 
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [ X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers email and website addresses,  if available, of other body:  The electronic 
version of the regulatory text can be downloaded at:  
http://www.gazette.gc.c a/rp-pr/p1/2014/2014-05 -10/pdf/g1-14819.pdf  
http://www.gazette.gc.c a/rp-pr/p1/2014/2014-05 -10/html/index-eng.php  
http://www.gazette.gc.c a/rp-pr/p1/2014/2014-05 -10/html/index-fra.php